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HUGH PETER. 



From the original portrait in the possession of C. E. Treffry, Esquire, 
of Place Fowey, Cornwall, England, 



Hugh Peter 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST 

Fourth Pastor of the First Church 
in Salem, Massachusetts. 



" I have Jived in a Country where in seven 
years I never saw a beggar, nor heard an oath, 
nov looked upon a drunkard." — Gods Doings 
and Man's Duty.—THv&a Peter. 



B fIDosatc 



PUT 

TOGETHER 

BY 



Eleanor Bradley Peters 

(Mrs. Edward McClure Peters) 



New York 

Privately printed 

190a 



JIM " 7 



From Volume xxxviii 

of the Historical Collections of the Essex Institute 

Salem, Massachusetts. 






WORDS FROM THE WORKMAN. 



The workman on this mosaic has tried, bit by bit, to 
build up a portrait and, in a general way, a life of this 
interesting man. The result is necessarily tough and 
incomplete, but a nicer finish would only amplify without 
adding value to these pages, The end in view was not 
elaboration or beauty of style, but exactness, and a near 
and correct sight of our subject, through his friends, 
acquaintances and himself. Although but six years in 
this country, he yet left a lasting stamp of his own work 
and life upon New England ; add to this the fact that to 
the end he spoke of New England as "home," and we 
may freely claim him as one of the founders of our 
Commonwealth and common country. 

The workman has sought to sink himself in his subject, 
and hardly more than two or three pages are in his own 
words ; all else is in the language of others ; — as far as 
possible in the words of those who lived intimately, or at 
least contemporaneously, with Hugh Peter. No eulogy 
is attempted, facts are given and the reader can weigh for 
himself. 

A man of Peter's restless and varied activity, was 
certain both to say and to do too much ; of this he himself 
was fully conscious, and at the last deplored his lack of 
judgment and excess of zeal ; but these errors stand alone 
against him. He did a vast amount of real and far- 



iv BUGS PETBR. 

reaching good during his life, and that of a kind Little 
thought of in those days, [ndeed, the only oause one oan 
find for the exceeding and venomous hatred displayed 
against him, lies in the catholicity of his thought, tooling 
and notion, and in hi,- remarkably practical and oommon- 
sense views and suggestions, whereby ho belonged, in 
spirit, it not in body, not to the seventeenth century, but 
fully to our own day. 

The compiler is indebted to the papers of the late 
Edmund Fanning Peters for oertain extracts whioh have 
boon used in this article and whioh it might have been 
difficult to find elsewhere. The portrait of Hugh Peter is 
duo to the courtesy of C. E. Treffry, Esquire, of Place, 
Fowey, Cornwall, England. The Rev. Sidney Hubbell 
Treat has also, through the loan of certain interesting old 
volumes, contributed to these pages. 

New York. March 1, 1902, 

E. B. P, 



HUGH PETER 



tdition is limited to otie hundred 
and fifty copies on hand-made 
' . fot the author. 



HUGH PETER. 



1598=1660. 



" I was the son of considerable parents, from Fowey in 
Cornwall, my father a merchant, his ancestors driven 
thence from Antwerp for religion — I mean the reformed ; 
my mother of the same town of a very ancient family, the 
name Treflrey of Place, — or the place in that town of which 
I would not boast." Thus writes Hugh Dirkwood, 
otherwise Hugh Peter. He was baptized in the parish 
of St. Ewe, in Fowey, the entiy in the parish record 
reading thus : w Anno RR. Elizabeth '41-Hugh the son 
of Thomas Dirkwood, baptized 7th June 1598," and the 
accompanying note : " Otherwise Hugh Peters, Chaplain 
and adviser to Oliver Cromwell ; beheaded by Charles II, 
on Tower Hill. J. J. T."* 

He was the third child and second son of Thomas 
Dirkwood and Martha Treflrey, she being a descendant 
of Sir John Treflrey who, in the 14th century, defended 
Fowey against the French. Why and when Thoma 
Dirkwood changed his name to Peter no one knows ; bu 

* Error: he was hanged, drawn and quartered at Charing Cross. The initials 
are supposed to be those of the Uev. Justin Tretfrey, and the date 1668-1698. 



2 HUGH PETER : 

the time was evidently between 1599 and 1610; perhaps 
about the period that Martha TretiYey's sister, Deborah, 
marries Henry Peter,* M. P. for Fowey, who descended 
from a sister of the Sir William Peter, famous as having 
been "secretary and o\ % the Privy Council to four kings 
and queens of this realm, and seven times ambassador 
abroad in foreign lands/' lie was also appointed one of 
the trustees for the young king, in the will of Henry VIII. 

Whatever the exact status of the Dirkwooda towards 
the Peters it is certain that Hugh Peter assumed not only 
the name but the coat of arms of that family. Perhaps 
Henry Peter, M. P. for Fowey, is the undo he mentions 
in the sketch of his life in the Last Legacy. f 

"These} lived in very great abundance: their Losses 
at Sea grew very great ; in the midst of which Losses, my 
elder Brother being at Oxford, § 1 was sent to Cambridge, 
and that Estate 1 had by an Uncle, I left with my Mother, 
and lived at the University, and a little from thence, 
about eight years: took my degree of Master of Arts, 
where I spent some years vainly enough, being but 14 
years old when thither I came ; my Tutor died, and I was 
expos'd to my shifts." 

He was at Trinity College, and took his degree of B.A., 
in 1616. In 1622, he received the degree of A.M., but 
to continue iu his own words : " Coming from thence 
[Cambridge], at London God struck me with the sense 
of my sinful estate, by a Sermon I heard under Pauls, 
which is about 40 years since [consequently in 1620] 
which Text was The burden of Dumah, or Idnmea, and 
stuck fast. This made me to go into Essex; And after 
being quieted by another Sermon in that Country, and the 
Love and Labours of Mr. Thomas Hooker, I there Preacht, 
there married with a good Gentlewoman, till I went to 
London to ripen my Studies, not intending to preach at 
all; where I attended Dr. George Sibs, and Davenports 
Ministry, with others, and I hope with some profit. But 
in short time was forced to preach by importunity ot 

* During the civil war Thomas Peter, sun of Henry rotor ami Deborah TreJfry, 

was on the royalist side. Ho was at one time a prisoner in the Tower, from wliioh 
ho was rescued through the influence ot' his first cousin, Hugh Peter. 
t "A Dying Father's Last Legacy to an Only child." 

\ His family. § Thomas. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 3 

Friends, having had a Licence from Dr. Mountain Bishop 
of London before, and to Sepulchers I was brought by a 
very strange providence, for preaching before at another 
place and a young man receiving some good would not be 
satisfied, but I must preach at Sepulchers once monthly 
for the good of his Friends ; in which he got his end (if I 
might not shew vanity) and lie allowed Thirty pounds per 
Annum to that Lecture, but his person unknown to me : 
he was a Chandler, and dyed a good man, and Member of 
Parliament. At this Lecture the Resort grew so great 
that it contracted en vie and anger : Though I believe above 
an hundred every week were perswaded from sin to Christ. 

I wish I may not be judged for saying so : There was 
six or seven thousand Hearers, and the Circumstances fit 
for such good work. But I am tender ; there I had some 
trouble, who could not conform to all : and went to 
Holland, where I was five or six years, not without the 
presence of God in my Work ; But many of my 
Acquaintance going for New England had engaged me to 
come to them when they sent, which accordingly I did : 
And truly my reason for myself and others to go, was 
merely, not to offend Authority in the difference of 
Judgment ; and had not the Book for Encouragement of 
Sports on the Sabbath come forth, many had staid. That 
good man, my dear firm Friend, Mr. White of Dorchester, 
and Bishop Lake, occasioned, yea, founded that Work, 
and much in reference to the Indians, of which we did not 
fail to attempt, with good success to many of their souls 
through God's blessing. See Bishop Lake's Sermon, 
1 King, 8.37. who profest to Mr. White of Dorchester, 
he would go himself with us, but for his age, for which 
he had the late King's gracious Patent, Licence and 
Encouragement. There I continued seven years."* 

Felt's memoir of Peter states that he prayed for the 
Queen at St. Sepulcher's, saying " that as she came into 
the Goshen of safety, so the light of Goshen might shine 
into her soul, and that she might not perish in the day of 
Christ." This came to Laud's ears who forbade Peter's 

* Quotations are made exactly as found, though many are so confusedly 
expressed and so bristle with pronouns that they are sadly in need of order and 
clearness. The compiler, however, dares not meddle with them. 



4 HUGH PETER : 

ministry and had him confined in the New Prison for 
" some time before any articles were exhibited against him. 
Though, certain noblemen offered bail for him it was 
refused." 

In 1627, Aug. 17, before going to Holland, being 
suspected of heterodoxy, "he subscribed a submission and 
protestation addressed to the Bishop of London, setting 
forth his admission to the doctrine and discipline of the 
English government and his acceptance of the episcopal 
government."* 

He was one of the earliest members of the Massachusetts 
Bay Company. In May, 1628, he subscribed to the joint 
stock of the Plantation, and he was one of the fourteen who 
signed the first instructions to Endecott, Sept. 13, 1628. 
He also attended the Courts of the Company, held on the 
11th and 13th of May, 1629. 
List of Subscribers. " In the name of god [sic] Amen. 
London, May, 1628. 

Sundrie men owe vnto the general stock of the 
adventurers for plantacon intended att Massachusetts Bay 
in New England, in America the some of tow thousand 
one hundreth and fiftie pound. And is for soe much 
vndorteken by the pticuler persons menconed hereafter, 
by there seuerall and generall stock for the aforesaid 
plantacon. Subscripcons to be by them adventured. In 
this point, where vnto the Almighty grant prosperous and 
happie Success, that the same may redound to his glorie, 
the propagation of the Gospel 1 of Christ, and the particular 
good of the seuerall Adventurers, that now are or hereafter 
shall be Interested therein. The persons nowe to be made 
debtors to the generall Stock being as followeth : 
Sr. Kich'd Saltonstall, Knt, oweth 100 £ 
Mr Isacke Johnson Esqr 100 

Mr Samuel Aldersey 50 

John Venn 50 

Hugh Peter 50" 

[and others.] 

Letter from Mathew Cradock to Capt. John Endecott, 
" from my house in Swithens Lane neare Loudon stone 

* Dictionary of National Biography. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 5 

this 16th February, 1628-9. . . . But for Mr Peters, 
he is now in Holland from whence his return hither I hold 
to be uncertain." 

In Holland, Peter was pastor of an Independent church 
in Rotterdam. There he made the acquaintance of John 
Forbes, a noted Presbyterian divine, with whom he 
travelled into Germany to see Gustavus Adolphus, and 
of Sir Edward Harwood, an English commander in the 
Dutch service, who fell at the siege of Maestricht in 1652. 
It seems probable that he was Sir Edward's secretary."* 
Sir William Brereton, who visited Rotterdam in 1634, 
describes Peter as a "right zealous and worthy man," and 
states that he was paid a salary of 5000 guilders by the 
Dutch government, f 

On leaving Holland, he returned to England and sailed 
from Plymouth, in July, 1635, in company with the 
younger Winthrop, Vane, and others, in the "Abigail." 
Gov. Winthrop, in his Journal, says : " Mo 8, 6— arrived 
the Defence & the Abigail, ten weeks from Plymouth with 
two hundred and eighty persons and many cattle infected 
also with small pox ;" in spite of which no deaths occurred. 
Speaking of Peter's arrival, Winthrop says : "Amongst 
others came Mr. Peter, pastor of the English church "in 
Rotterdam who being persecuted by the English 
ambassador, — who would have brought his and other 
churches to the English discipline, and not having had 
his health these many years, intended to advise with the 
ministers here about his removal." 

That he was pursued while in England is evident from 
a Jotter Samuel Reade (step-son of Peter) writes to John 
Winthrop, jr., from London Aug. 2, 1635, saying that he 
is thankful " alsoe for my father's [Peter's] escape out o 
cruell hands. We learn if you had stayed but 2 dayes 
longer my father would scarcely have avoided them for 
they had taken an extraordinary cunning course for his 
attachment." 

"Thisyeere [1635] came over the Famous servant of 
Christ Mr Hugh Peters whose courage was not inferior to 
any of these transported servants of Christ, but because 

♦Dictionary of National Biography; Harleian Miscellany 
Travels of Sir William Brereton. y 



6 HUGH PETER : 

his native Soilo bath had the greatest share of his labours, 
the lease will be said of him here : 

With courage bold Peters a Souldier stout 
in Wlldernesse for Christ begins to war, 
Much worke lie finds 'mongst people, yet hold out; 
With fluent tongue he stops phantastlck jura. 

Swift Torrent staves of liberties large vent; 
Through crooked waves of error daily flowing, 
Shiloe's soft streames to bath in would all bent; 

Should be while they In Christian freedome growing, 

Bat back l.lion must, thy Talents Chrlsts will liave, 

Improved Cor him, ids glory Is thy crowne, 

And thon base dust while lie thee honour tftive ; 

II matters not though the world on thee do Krowue."* 

Within a few weeks of his arrival, "Mr. Hugh Peters 
preaching at Boston & Salem moved the country to raiso 
n stock for fishing as the only probable means lo free us 
from that oppression whioh the seamen and others hold us 
un<lor."j- Two months later (January, 1635-6) we find 
him going from place to plaoe intent on this same work, 
"and so prevailed as lie procured a good sum of money to 
be raised to se( on foot the fishing business lo (he value of 
J and wrote into England to raise as much more. 
The interest was to sot up a magazine of all provisions & 
oilier necessaries lor fishing that men might have things 
at hand & for reasonable prices whereas now the 
merchants & seamen took advantage to sell at most 
excessive rates, in many things two for one &o."J 

April 26, L636,"The Charity of Dartmouth ol' L20 tons 
arrived laden with provisions. Mr. Peters bought all the 
provisions at 50 in (he 100 (which saved the country 
£200) & distributed them to all the towns as each town 
needed. "J 

Mar. 3, l()3. r >-t), Peter was admitted freeman, with 

Vane, Shepherd, Rogers, Harlakenden and others. 

Winthrop calls him "a man of a very public spirit & 
singular activity forall occasions," and adds that he "went 

♦ Wonder working Providence of Slon'a s.n lour. Being a Relation of the lirst 
planting in New England i" tne j eere 1688. Mass. uist Coll., 9ud series, Vol. in, 
p. im. 

KWlnthrop's Journal, n>>\ . 96, 16 

t w inthrop'a Journal, 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 7 

from place to place laboring both publicly and privately 
to raise up men to a better frame of spirit." 

That Peter came to New England without any definite 
resolution to remain here is evident from the following 
letter from Samuel Reade to John Winthrop, jr. 

London, March 5, 1635-6. "We wonder we haue noe 
certaine information whether my father Peter intend eth 
to stay with you, or to returne. It is necessary it should 
speedily bo determined of, that his church may know 
how to dispose of themselues. Mr. Davenport supplyeth 
his place yet."* 

Writing to his son, 1636, 2mo. 26, Winthrop says 
"The Lord in much mercy sent us a ship the 12 of this 
present with provisions but she had put in at Pascal aqua 
& sold much there ; for she brought only 3i) hogsheads of 
meal, 25 of peas, 8 of oatmeal, 40 of malt & some beef & 
prunes & aqua vitae, & 18,000 of [unknown]. My 
brother Peter bought it all & divided it amongst the "f 

["about 16 lines are gone," says 

Savage, "the paper being thin."] Is this the same as the 
"Charity" referred to above ? 

When provisions are sent in the Rebecca to the 
"Governor of the Plantation upon the mouth of the 
Connecticut," amongst others is found "a hogshead of 
pork which my brother Peter puts in."| 

The same year, shortly after their arrival, "Mr. Vane 
and Mr. Peter finding some distraction in the Common- 
wealth arising from difference in judgment and withal 
some alienation of affection among the magistrates and 
some other persons of quality and that hereby factions 
began to grow among the other people, some adhering more 
to the old governour, Mr. Winthrop, and others to the late 
governour Mr. Dudley, the former carrying matters with 
more lenity and the latter with more soverity — they 
procured a meeting at Boston of the governour, Deputy, 
Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, Mr. "Wilson, and there was 
present Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Dudley and themselves. "J 
The result was a desire among the clergy that Mr. 
Winthrop should be more severe, in the future, in his 

♦Mass. Hist. Coll., 5th series, Vol. I, p. 217. fWinthiop's Journal, |> 156 

I Wiuthrop's Journal. 



8 HUGH PETER : 

dealings with transgressors against the law, and ten 
articles were drawn to this effect. 

May 25, 1636. 'The Gounr, Deputy Gounr, Tho : 
Dudley, John Haynes, Rich Bellingham Esq, Mr Cotton, 
Mr Peter and Mr. Shepheard are intreated to make a 
draught of lawes agreeable to the word of God, wch may 
be the ffundamentalls of the Comonwealth & to present 
the same to the nexte Genall Court."* 

In 1636, Mo. 3, 15, "Mr. Peters preaching at Boston 
made an earnest request to the church for four things — 1. 
That they would spare their teacher Mr. Cotton for a 
time that he might go through the Bible and raise 
marginal notes upon all the knotty places of the scripture. 
2. That a new book of martyrs might be made to begin 
where the other had left. 3. That a form of church 
government might be drawn according to the scriptures. 
4. That they take order for employment of people 
especially women and children in the winter time ; for 
he feared that idleness would be the ruin both of church 
and commonwealth :-f 

"10-4 mo. 1636. "Mr. Fenwick . . . intends 
about a month hence with my brother Peter to be with 
you." — Winthrop to his son John Winthrop, Gov. of the 
Plantation at the mouth of the Connecticut.! 

1636. 4 mo. 23.— " Mr. Fenwick, my brother Peter &c. 
set forth on horseback on the 27 of this month and will 
expect your shallop at the upper town to carry them down 
the river and so will join Mr. Peirce's pinnace to Long 
Island, Hudson's River, &c," writes Winthrop to his son. 

This journey was doubtless owing to the fact that Sir 
Harry Vane and Hugh Peter " were associated with 
Winthrop by the patentees of Connecticut, in the agency 
for the management of their estate. The three made 
proclamation of the rights of their principals and required 
a recognition of them on the part of the emigrants to 
that region." Peter being so well viewed by the Dutch 
took the journey to reconcile the disputes between them 
and the English. $ 

* Records of Maes. Bay Colony. f Winthrop'8 Journal. 

t This journey of Hugh Peter's is undoubtedly the foundation of the statement 
made by several writers that Thomas Peter was in Connecticut in 1636. I can 
find no evidence of Thomas being in this country prior to 1645. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 9 

"In the year 1635, I, Lion Gardener, Engineer and 
Master of works of Fortification in the legers of the 
Prince of Orange, in the Low Countries, through the 
persuasion of Mr. John Davenport, Mr. Hugh Peters Avith 
some other well-affected Englishmen of Rotterdam, I 
made an agreement with the forenamed Mr. Peters for 
£100 per annum, for four years, to serve the company 
of patentees, namely, the Lord Say, the Lord Brooks 
[Brook], Sir Arthur Hazilrig, Sir Mathew Bonnington 
[Bonighton ?] , Sir Richard Saltingstone [Salton stall], 
Esquire Fenwick, and the rest of their company, [I say] 
I was to serve them only in the drawing, ordering and 

making of a city, town, or forts of defence Mr 

Wintbrop, Mr Fenwick, and Mr Peters persuaded me 
that they would do their utmost endeavour to persuade 
the Bay-men to desist from war a year or two, till we could 
be better provided for it . . . 

So they returned to Boston. But our great 
expectation [of having many laborers sent to him] at 
the River's mouth, came only to two men, viz. Mr Fenwick 
and his man, who came with Mr Hugh Peters, and Mr 
Oldham and Thomas Stanton, bringing with them some 
Otter-skin coats, and Beaver and skeins of wampum."* — 
Pequot Warres, by Lion Gardener. 

That they were not long gone is evident from the 
following : — " 1636, Mo. 5, 6. Many ships lying ready at 
Natascott to sail Mr. Peter went down and preached 
aboard the Hector and the ships going forth met an east 
wind which put them in again ; whereupon he staied and 
kept the sabbath with them.f" 

Dec. 21, 1636. Having preached acceptably at Salem 
he is made pastor there, joining the church, Jan. 8, 1636, 
O. S. His name stands first in the records of admission 
to full communion, 8/11, 1636, the year ending March, 
1637. He was their fourth minister, Higginson and Skelton 
having died and Roger Williams having been removed in 
November. The church at Saugus (Lynn) had wished to 
have him but he preferred Salem. This same year, 
1636, he was granted 300 acres at Jeffreys Creek now 

* Mass. Hist. Coll., 3rd series, Vol. in, p. 136. 
t Wlnthrop's Journal. 



10 HUGH PETER : 

Manchester. He, and Captain Endeeott, each had two 
acres at the west end in Salem bordering upon Captain 
Trask and father Woodbury's lot. 

"June 15th 1636. Laid out to Mr. Peters 150 acres of 
land by order from the selectmen bounded southerly by 
the land of the farm of Porter and land commonly called 
Joshua Ilea's land easterly with ye land of William 
Raiments to a bound tree at the northwest corner of ye 
said Raimont's land northerly with the land of Nathan 
and Jno. Putnam, westerly with a little river or brooke 
until it meets with Joshua Reas land bounds and then 
buttes upon his hind until it comes to the bound tree yt 
belongs to fanner Porter and Josh Rae. M * 

March 12, 1(>37. "Capt. Sedgwick, John Johnson, and 
Mr. Robt. Keayne are desired to speak with Mr Peters, 
and Mr Peil'Ce about the Price of the eoates and armes 
which the country had last summer. "f 

In 1037, Hugh Peter writes to John Winthrop : " Wee 
haue heard of a dividenee of women and children in the 
bay and would bee glad of a share viz : a young woman 
or girle and a boy if you thinke good [these were Pequot 
captives] . I wrote to you for some boys for Bermudas 
which 1 thinke is considerable. Besides wee are bold to 
impart our thoughts about the corne at Pequoit which wee 
wish were all cut down, or left to the Naragansieks rather 
than for vs to take it, for wee feare it will proue a snare 
thus to hunt after their goods whilst wee come forth 
pretending only the doing of justice, and wee beleeue it 
would strike more terror into the Indians so to doe : It 
will quit cost to vs to keepe it." 

"The 23d of this 7th mo 1(537 Mr Hugh Peter delivred 
into the Court a deed of Mr Robert Saltonstall, makeing 
over all the estate that hee hath, or shall have, to satisfy 
his creditors."! 

Nov. 20, 1637. " For the colledge, the Governour, Mr 
Winthrope, the Deputy, Mr Dudley, the Treasurer, Mr 
Bellingham, Mr Ilnmfrev, MrHarlakendeu, Mr Staughton, 
Mr Cotton, Mr Wilson, Mr Damport, Mr Wells, Mr 
Sheopard and Mr Peters, these, or the greater part of 
them, whereof Mr Winthrop, Mr Dudley, or Mr 

* Salem Town Rocor.ta- t Records of TMuaa. Bay Colony. 



TREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 11 

Bellingham to bee always one, to take order for a colledge 
at Newtowne." This was the founding of Harvard College, 
and May 2, 1638, "It is ordered that Newtowne shall 
hereafterward be called Cambridge."* 

Nov., 1637. " Mr Dunkaen and Increase Nowell were 
appointed to take Mr Peters his account between this and 
the next Conrte."* 

Dec, 1637. Peters reproved Vane, then governor, 
because of his expressing dislike to a meeting of Cotton 
and the elders about differences of opinion ; Peter adds 
"that the Ministers are saddened by his jealousy of their 
deliberations and his apparent inclination to restrain their 
liberty." The governor apologized, f 

Mar. 12, 1638 . . . "this Court hath therefore 
ordered that the freemen of every towne (or some part 
thereof chosen by the rest) wthin this jurisdiction shall 
assemble together in their severall townes, and collect the 
heads of such necessary and fundamental laws as may bee 
sutable to the times and places whear God by his Pvidence 
hath cast us, & the heads of such lawes to deliver in 
writing to the Governor for the time being before the 5th 
day of the 4th month called June, next, to the intent that 
the same Governor, together with the rest of the standing 
councell, <& Mr Richard Bellingham Esq, Mr Bulkley, Mr 
Phillips, Mr. Peters, and Mr Sheopard . . . [and 
others] may vpon the survey of such heads of lawes, 
make a compendious abridgment of the same for the 
Generall Court,"* . . . 

March 12, 1638. "Whereas there hath been divers 
complaints made concerning oppsion in wages, in prizes 
of comodities, in smiths worke, in excessive prizes for 
the worke of draughts and teames and the like, to the 
great dishonour of God, the scandoll of the gosple & the 
greife of divers of God's people . . . the Court 
hath ordered it, that it shall bee onely considered 
by Mr Endecott, Mr Bellingham, Mr Harlakenden, Mr 
Staughton, Mr Peters, Mr Noise, [and twenty more] 
whom the Court hath desired in that perticoler & to 
bring into the next Generall Court their thoughts for the 
remediing of the same."* 

* Records of Mass. Bay Colony. 

t Felt's Ecclesiastical History of New England. 



1 8 BUGS PBTAB : 

In L 638, the town of Salem paid Mr, Peter for "weights, 
beame and scales." 

AU'in 1687 or L638, Peter'a first wife dies, probably in 
England, for in March 6, 1636-7, i letter says: "Mrs, 
Peters is yet in Holland and James Downinge with her, 
bm we now daily expeot them." Mrs, Peter, the 
gentlewoman to whom Peter infers in his " Last Legaoy," 
was Mistress Reade, widow of Ool, Edmund Rondo, of 
Essex, England, and is said to have boon the daughter of 

Thomas Cooke o{ IVbmarsh. She sooms to have boon 

Readers second wife and was apparently muoh older than 
Peter, Her name was Elisabeth, Her husband died in 
or about 1684, and she soon after marrie I Peter, 

Colonel Ko.-nlo's children were, as nearly aa I have boon 
able to discover :* 

1, Edmund, born L595; died young. 

2, William ; died 1659, 

3, Samuel, 

}. Edmund, born L604; died 1613. 

o. Thomas, the youngest son. dual Poo.. loTT ; he 
whs a Colonel in the Parliamentary army and Governor of 
Stirling, and was associated with Monk at the Restoration, 

6, Margaret, died, L672, in [pswich, Mass.-, she 
married John Lake, presumably in England. 

Maiilm. died, 1662, in [pswich, Mass : married 
(1st) Daniel fipps, in England; (2nd) Samuel Symonds. 

8. Elisabeth, baptised November 27, 1614; married 
John Winthrop, jr., in England, in 1635, and their first 
child Elisabeth, is baptised in July, 1636, 

John Winthrop'a second wife, Elisabeth Reade, was the 
mother of all his children .-rod came to this country with 
him. rhe elder Winthivp, attor this marriage, always 
refers to his son's father-in-law as "my brother rotor." 
This was customary at the time as is evidenced by 
Crom well's addressing Richard Mayor,— whose daughter 
married Richard Cromwell, — as "Dear brother" and 

1 o\ inij brother.**1 
In April, 163$, wo first hoar of the person who was to 

be Totor's second wife : Toon the 12th day of the month 
Peter's church together with the others, "kepi a solemn 

♦ r i 

! 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 13 

fast-day for divine deliverance from the threatening ovil 
of b general governor for the oolonies and the consequent 
dissolution of their charter privileges and the loss of all 
their religious liberty." The next day Peter writes thus 

to Wint hn>p : 

"To the noble Gouernour in Boston ; 

Hon. Sir, — I much tliankc you for yours, and together 
am sorry for the sickness of our frends. I nm still 
troublesome to you. I haue sent Mrs I). Sh.* letter which 
puis mee to new trouble, for though she takes liberty 
upon my Cosscn Dowiiin^'H speeches, yet (Good Sir) lot 
mee not bee a foole in [srael. I had many good answers 
to yesterday's worke and amongst the rest her letter: 
which (if her owne) doth argue more wisdome than I 
thought shoe had. You haue often sayd I could not leauo 
her; what to do is very considerable. Could I with 
comfort and credit desist, this seemes host ; could I goeon, 
and content my selfe, that were good ; my request is, that 
this bearer my hurt's halfe may well observe what is best. 
For though I now seeme free agayne yet the depth I know 
not. Had shee come ouer with mee I thinke I had bin 
quieter. This shee may know, that I haue sought God 
earnestly, for the next wecke, I shall bee riper: 

I doubt shee gaynes most by such writings ; and shee 
deserues most where shee is further of. My very hart is 
with you and I am 

Yours euer II : Peter 

It you shall amongst you advise mee to write to hir I 
shall forthwith, our towno lookes vpon nice as contracted 
and so I haue sayd my selfe what wonder the change f 
would make I know not." 

Extract from letter of Endecott to John Winthrop : — 

April 13, 1(k><s. "I cannot but acquaint yow with my 
thoughts concerning Mr Peter, since hee receaued a letter 
from Mrs Sheffield, which was yesterday in the eveninge 
after the fast; shee seeming in her letter to abate of her 
afleecions towards him, and dislikinge to come to Salem 
vppon such terms as hee had written. I fin do that [s]hee 
begins now to play her parte, and if I mistake not, you will 

* Deliverance Sheffield. 

t " Charge " wiih printed, but evidently a mistake. 



14 HUGH PETER : 

see him as greatly in loue with her (if shee will but hold 
a little) as euer shee was with him; but hee conceals it 
what hee can as yett. The begininge of the next weeke 
you will heare further from him "*.... 

Later, Peter again writes to Winthrop : — " Sir ... I 
know not well whither Mrs Sh. haue set mee at liberty or 
not ; my conclusion is, that if you find I cannot make an 
honorable retreat then I shall desire to advance . . . 

Once more for Mrs Sh. I had from Mr Hibbeus and 
others, her fellow passengers, sad discouragement, where 
they saw her in her trim" . . . 

Poor woman, probably very seasick, and sadly out of 
trim, but very likely no worse than her fellow passengers. 

Emanuel Downing writes to Winthrop in 1638 : — " My 
Cosen P. is constant to his dayty charge, soe that all his 
friends are resolved to leave him to his owne way, yet 
blessed be God his preaching is verie profitable and 
comfortable to all." 

August or September, 1638, Francis Weston, an 
advocate of Williams, complains of Mr Peter of the Salem 
church, as not being allowed to ask questions in time of 
public worship. He also objects that the wife of Peter 
and others who came from Rotterdam after he did, had 
been received as members of his church at Salem though 
they brought no letters of recommendation, f 

This approximately places Peter's marriage to 
Deliverance Sheffield, of whom we know only that she 
joined the church in Boston, March 10, 1639, and was 
dismissed to the church in Salem, Jan. 2, 1640. 

Nov. 12, 1638. He had 230 acres of land granted him, 
in addition to 50 more at the head of Forest River, granted 
him the previous year, part of which bears his name to 
this very day-! 

Dec. 6, 1638. He was present at the execution in 
Boston, of Dorothy Talby, she being of his congregation 
in Salem. The unfortunate woman, suffering from religious 
mania, had murdered one of her children. This form of 
insanity was entirely misunderstood in those days. 



* Maes. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. vn, p. 157. 
t Felt's Ecclesiastical History of New Englai 
\ Felt's Memoir of Hugh Peters. 















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REPRODUCTION OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY HUGH PETER. 
From Massachusetts Archives, Vol. ccxl, page 3 3. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 15 

He was a witness, though a somewhat reluctant one, 
against Mrs Hutchinson, and took little part in that affair. 

May 22, 1639. Mr Peter is desired to write to Holland 
for £500 worth of salt peter, and £40 worth of match.* 

June 6, 1639. He is granted five hundred acres of 
land by the Court. 

June 19th. Granted to Mr Peters the Marsh lying over 
against his now dwelling containing about one and one- 
half acres or thereabouts on the other side of the water. 

Peter writes to the church at Dorchester :f 

" Salem-1-5-39. Reuerend and deerly beloued in the 
lord, wee thought it oure bounden duty to acquaynt you 
with the names of such persons as haue had the great 
censure past vpon them in this our church, with the 
reasons thereof; Beseeching you in the lord not only to 
reade their names in publicke to yours, but also to giue 
vs the like notice of any dealt with in like manner by you, 
that so wee may walke towards them accordingly ; for 
some of vs here haue had communion ignorantly with such 
as haue bin cast out of other churches. 

2 Thes : 3, 14. wee can do no lesse than haue such 
noted as disobey the truth. 

Roger Williams and his wife, John Throckmorton and 
his wife, Thomas Olney and his wife, Stukeley Westcot 
and his wife, Mary Halliman and Widow Reeues. These 
wholy refused to heare the church, denying it and all the 
churches in the Bay to bee true Churches and (except two) 
are all rebaptized. 

John Elford for obstinacy, after diuers syns hee stood 
guilty of, and proued by witness, William James for pride 
and diuers other evills, in which he remained obstinate. 

John Talby for much pride, and unnaturalnes to his 
wife, who was lately executed for murdering her child. 

William Walcot for refusing to bring his children to the 
ordinance, neglecting willingly family dutyes, &c. 

Thus wishing the Continued enioyment of both the 
Staues(Beauty and Bands)and that your soules may flovrish 
as watered gardens, rest y rs in the lord Jesus, 

Hu : Peter. 

* Records of Mass. Bay Colony. 

t The original letter is in the Mass. Archives, Vol. CCXL, p. 33. 



16 HUGH PETER : 

By the churches order and in her name. For the church 
in Dorchester." 

June 6, 1639. Mr Endecott, Mr Downing and Mr 
Hauthorne are to dispose of the house which Mr Peters 
bought, as they can, and return the money for the college* 
[Harvard]. 

June, 1639. He had an Indian servant, named Hope, 
who was whipped for running away and for drunkenness. 

Sept. 4, 1639. Writing from Salem he speaks of " my 
wife," but we know not the date of his marriage. " My wife 
desires my daughter to send to Hanna that was her niayd, 
now at Charltowne, to know if shee would dwell with vs 
for truly wee are so destitute (hauing now but an Indian) 
that wee know not what to doe."f " My wife is very 
thankful for her apples and desires much the new fashioned 
shoes," he writes to Winthrop in 1639. 

His health is seldom good. In 1636, he writes : — " but 
God's hand hath bin and is upon mee, more and more in 
the weakness of my body, which declynes dayly." And 
again in 1638 : — " My head is not well, nor any part at 
present for I cannot get sleepe." 

3 mo. 3 day, 1638. Endecott writes from Salem, to 
Winthrop: — "and would however [have seen you] had 
not Mr. Peters' illness onely detayned mee for he hath 
bene very ill. But I hope the worst is past though hee 
be as sick in his thoughts as ever." 

Hugh Peter's daughter Elizabeth, his only child, to 
whom" he dedicated his " Last Legacy," was born in Salem, 
and was baptized there the first day of the eighth month, 
(Oct.) 1610. It must have been about the time of his 
daughter's birth that his wife first showed signs of mental 
disorder, and perhaps he refers to this in a letter dated 
1640, when he says: "De.pe melancholy is getting fast 
vpon mee agayne and tethers mee at home." And again in 
the same year : " Am also at present fallen into a sore fit of 
my old hypochondriacal melancholy through cold and care." 

He often refers to Ipswich in his letters, and frequently 
goes there, several of his step-children being settled in 
that town. 

* Records of Mas?. Bar Colony. 

t Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. vi. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 17 

The first discourse ever delivered within the limits of 
Wenham (first called Enon), was preached by him from 
a small hill now leveled, but long known as Peter's Pulpit, 
and his text was : w In Enon, near to Salem, because there 
wa9 much water there." John, in. 23. In 1835, the 
town of Wenham voted to grant Hugh Peter's hill to the 
first church in Salem, upon condition of their erecting 
there a monument to him. The offer was to hold good for 
three years : it was not accepted and the land passed to 
an ice company. 

Peter owned a farm of three or four hundred acres in 
Marblehead, near what is now Devereux. 

In 1640, the Court requested the Churches of Salem, 
Roxbury and Boston to relinquish their pastors for the 
mission to England. The churches strenuously objected. 

Impetus was given to ship building in 1640-41, b} r Hugh 
Peter and Richard Hollingsworth causing a ship to be 
begun in the February of that year. She was of 300 tons 
and wa3 finished and launched in June. She was perhaps 
the Mary Ann of Salem, mentioned in 1643. The 
inhabitants of Boston forthwith built a ship of 150 tons. 

" These are the ministers of the Bay. At Salem, Master 
Peter, Pastor, Master Norris, Teacher, and his sonne a 
School Master. Long Island is begun to be planted, a 
Church was gathered tor that Island at Lynne, in the Bay. 
Master Peter of Salem was at the gathering. At Northern, 
alias Piscattaqua, is master Larkham Pastor, One master 
H. K.* was also lately Minister there, with Master 
Larkham. They two fell out about baptizing of children, 
receiving of members, buriall of the dead, and the 
contention was so sharp, that Master K. and his party 
rose up, and excommunicated Master Larkham, and some 
that held with him : And further Master Larkham flying 
to the Magistrates, Master K. and a Captainf raised 
Armes and expected helpe from the Bay: Master K. 
going before the troop with a Bible upon a pole's top, and 
he, or some of his party giving forth, that their side were 
Scots, and the other English : Whereupon the Gentlemen 
of Sir Ferdinando Gorges plantation came in, and kept 

* Hansard Knollys. t Underbill 

HIST, COLL. VOL. XXXVXTJ 9 



18 HUGH PETER: 

Court with the Magistrates of Piscattaqua (who have also 
a Patent) being weake of tliemselves. And they fined all 
them that were in amies, for a Riot, by Indictment, Jury 
and Verdict, formally Nine of then were censured to be 
whipt, but that was spared. Master K. and the Captain 
their Leaders, were fined 100 1. apiece, which they were 
not able to pay. To this broyle came Master Peter of 
Salem and there gave his opinion at Northam, that the 
said excommunication was a nnlity."* 

"And particularly, Master Peter went from Salem on 
foot to New Dover, alias Piscattaqna, alias Northam, to 
appease the difference betweene Master Larkham and 
Master K. when they had been up in Amies this last 
Winter time. He went by the sending of the Governour, 
Counsell and Assistants of the Bay, and of the Church of 
Salem, and was in much danger of being lost returning, 
by losing his way in the woods, and some with him, but 
God be blessed they returned. "f 

"Mr. Peters and Mr. Dalton with one of Acamentieus 
went [1641] from Pascataquack with Mr. John Ward [of 
Haverhill] who was to be entertained there for their 
minister ; and though it be but 6 miles yet they lost their 
way and wandered 2 days and 1 night without food or fire 
in the snow and wet."{ 

June 2, 1641. "The Court doth entreat leave of the 
church of Salem for Mr. Peters, of the church of Roxberry 
for Mr. Wells and of the church of Boston for Mr. Hibbens 
to go to England upon some weighty occations for the good 
of the country, as is conceived ;"§ and this time the 
congregation sacrificing itself, permitted him to depart. 
He left, with Weld of Roxburyand Hibbens of Boston, as 
agents for the Colony, to attend to its interests in the 
mother country, and principally to plead for a decrease of 
the taxes. 

"There being no ship which was to return right for 
England," they went to Newfoundland intending to take a 
passage from thence in the fishing fleet. They left Boston, 

* rialn Dealing or Newes from New England, by Thos. Lechford. Mass. HI it. 
Coll.. 3rd series, Vol. Ill, p. 93. 
t Ibid., p. ](W. 

i Winthrop's Journal, II, p. 29. 
§ Records of Maes. Bay Colony. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 19 

August 3rd, accompanied by John Winthrop the youn?er. 
They were 14 days to Newfoundland. Peter and Weld 
preached to the people there ft who were much affected 
with the word taught, and eutreated them with all 
courtesy." 

< He writes on July 27, 1641, " If the Lord continue my 
life, then I do hereby authorize them [Gott and Horn] to 
do all my affairs as if myself was present, as in looking 
into my house, to dispose of my ground, mill, and other" 
things as in wisdom they shall see meet." 

While on his way to England a commission was forwarded 
to him from Connecticut, signed byHaynes and Winthrop. 
"Whereas the bearer, Mr. Hugh Peters, minister of Salem, 
is sent at the public request to England to negociate with 
the present parliament there about such matters as concern 
us, which we confide to his care and fidelity, this is to 
authorize him, if occasion permit him to go to the 
Netherlands, to treat with the West Indian Company there 
concerning a peaceable neighborhood between us and them 
of New Netherlands and whatever he shall further thiuk 
proper touching the West Indies." 

" 1642, Mo. 6. Mr. Welde, Mr. Peter, and Mr. Hibbens 
who were sent Inst year into England, had procured 500£ 
which they sent over in linen, woollen, and other useful 
commodities for this country, which, because the stock 
might be preserved and returned this year for a further 
supply, were put off together for about eighty pounds 
profit, and the principal returned by Mr. Stoughton in the 
next ship."* « My first work was with the first, to go for 
Ireland, which I did with many hazards ; then I was at 
sea, with my old patron, the Earl of Warwick, to whom 
I owed my life," he writes. 

From June to Sept., 1642, he was chaplain to the forces 
for the reduction of Ireland, in the expedition commanded 
by Alexander, Lord Forbes, and the same year he wrote 
an account of this expedition. 

March 10, 1643. One of the ends of his mission was 
attained in the relief of New England from all duties 
on exports and imports to and from the mother country, 
which were for the home consumption of the colonists. 

July 5, 1643. He attended Mr Chalouer (who was in 

• Wlnthrop's Journal, n, p. 75. 



20 HUGH PETER: 

Waller's Plot) in prison and at his execution. Chaloner, 
advised by Peter, on the scaffold, explained the part he 
had taken in the plot, and then desired Mr Peter to pray 
with him. The same year he was sent by Parliament 
to Holland, to borrow money for the Protestant sufferers 
in Ireland and raised £30,000. 

Jan. 4, 1644. He attends Sir John Hotham at his 
execution ; and on the scaffold received public thanks 
from Sir John for his excellent instruction and assistance. 

Mar. 12, 1644. In a speech of Archbishop Laud's, at 
the beginning of his trial, after speaking of the persons 
whom he had been the means of converting from 
Romanism, the Archbishop said: "Let any clergymau 
of England come forth and give a better account of his 
Zeal to the Church." Peter, who stood near him replied 
that however he was only an humble individual among 
many hundreds of ministers in the kingdom, he had been 
instrumental thro' divine aid, in bringing not only twenty- 
two from Papistry but one hundred and twent}', who 
witnessed a good profession, as true Protestants and 
sincere Christians. He added that others as well as 
himself, were able to produce hundreds of real converts 
to the Church, for each whom the Prelate could.* He 
accompanied the Earl of Warwick, upon his expedition 
for the relief of Lyme, during May and June of 1644, 
and subsequently gave "a large Relation to the Commons 
of all the Business of Lvme where ho was with the Earl 
of Warwick." 

June 6, 1645. He is chaplain to the train, — "the 
regiments in charge of the ba^jjage wagons and artillery", t 

While Laud was in prison he charged Peter with 
conspiring to banish him to New England and begged 
that he might not be sent over-seas, pleading his age and 
infirmities. This had indeed been thought of, but as a 
means of saving him from death, and Peter's request 
therefore had been a motion made in Commons. 

July 20, 1645. "On the Lord's day [at the siege of 
Bridgewater,] Mr. Peters in the forenoon preached a 
preparation sermon, to encourage the soldiers to go on ; 
Mr Bowles likewise did in part in the afternoon. After 

t Felt's Memoir of Hueh Peters. 
t Gardener's Great Civil War, II, 297. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 21 

both sermons the drums beat, the army was drawn out 
into the field : the commanders of the forlorne hope, who 
were to begin the storm, and the soldiers, being drawn 
together in the field, were there also afresh exhorted to do 
their duties (with undaunted courage and resolution) by- 
Mr. Peters, who did it (as one says of him) tarn Marie 
Quam Mercurio."* 

In 1645, at the storming of Bridgewater, " Mr. Peters 
and Mr. Boles, in their sermons, inoouraged the Soldiers 
to the work. About 7 at night the fort being drawn out, 
and these that Commanded the storm and forlorn, Mr. 
Peters, in the Field, gave them an Exhortation to do their 
duties."! "Mr. Peters who brought up the Letter from 
Sir Thomas Fairfax was called into the House, and made 
a large Relation of the particular passages in the taking 
of Bridgewater ; he also produced several Commissions 
in Characters, which the House referred to a Committee, 
to be deciphered, and gave £100 to Mr. Peters for bis 
unwearied services, and sent a letter of thanks to Sir 
Thomas Fairfax for all his great services and particularly 
for this of Bridgewater. "J 

Aug. 29, 1645. Friday. A fast was kept through the 
army to seek God for a blessing upon the designs against 
Bristol : Mr Del and Mr Peters kept the day at the head 
quarters.* 

Aug., 1645. At this time, in compliance with Peter's 
former application to Parliament, ho obtained the passage 
of an ordinance, enlarging that of 1643, which allowed 
all exports to New England to be free from duties without 
the previous restriction. 

Sept. 9, 1645. "Mr. Peter was called into the House and 
gave them a particular Account of the Siege of Bristol, 
and the cause of sitting down before it to prevent the 
plunder and cruelties of Prince Rupert in that Country, 
and he pressed the desire of Sir. Thomas Fairfax to have 
Recruits sent to him."§ 

Sept., 1645. " Mr. Peters Preached in the Market Place 
at Torrington, and convinced many of their Errors in 

* Anglla Rediviva; England's Recovery. The History of the Motions, Actions 
and Successes of the Army under tlr Thomas .Fairfax, l>y Joshua Sprigg, M. A. 
London, lf>47. 

t Whitelocke's Memorials, ed. 1732, p. 6r.. 

j Whitelocke's Memorials, ed. 1732, p. 157. 

I Whitelocke's Memorials, ed. 1732, p. 171. 



22 HUGH PETER: 

adhering to the King's Party, and that he, with Lieut. 
Col. Berry* were sent to Plymouth to treat with the 
Governor. "f 

Oct. 1, 1645. "The Co r t thinketh it meete y* Mr Peet" 
and Mr Weld, being sent ov r as prsons fit to negociate 
for y e country, haveing been long absent, desire they may 
und r stand the Co r ts mind y 1 they desire their qjsence 
here, and speedy returne."J 

It is probably about this time that he wrote the 
following letter: 

" To my truly honourable and faithful General Sir Thomas 
Fairfax : 

" Sir, one of the greatest comforts I have had in this 
world, next to the grace of God in Christ to my poor 
Soul, hath been to be a member of your Army, and a 
spectator of his presence with you and it, what others do, 
I know not ; but it is my duty to return to my work, and 
to meet you again ; which I am bold to do with this simple 
present. I know your mind, that must not, will not, be 
flattered; nor am I skillful in that mystery : I have seen 
you upon earth, and doubt not to meet you triumphing in 
heaven. I only must crave leave to speak your own 
words, that your great experience of God's Power and 
mercy, have made strong obligation upon you to love 
Him and the saints, which I have seen you do impartially ; 
you have made it your interest, and now, you find you are 
not deceived, the God of all your unparalled mercy dwell 
in that thriving soul of yours, strengthen you throughout 
to the completing of this great work, yea, Sereus in 
Coelum redeas, diuque Laetus inter sis populo Britanno. 

"For myself (if it be worth your acceptance) I am 
resolved to live and die in your and the kingdom's Service, 
and as you have obliged three kingdoms to you and many 
thousands of saints, so none of them more to honour you 
than, Sir 

Your ever faithful servant in Christ 

Hugh Peters. "§ 

* Perhaps this is " Capt. Lieut." Berry who killed Gen. Cavendish. 

1 Whltelocke, eel. 1732, p. 194. Whitelocke gives this information Feb. 28, 1646 
(O. 8.), saying: " Letters from the Army certified that" . . . but it appears to 
me that this event took place in the previous September. 

J Records of Mass. Bay Colony, Vol. II, p 137. 

§ Memorials of the Civil War, od. by Rob. Bell (Fairfax Correspondence). 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 23 

Oct. 7, 1645. " Letters brought by Mr. Peters from 
Lieutenant General Cromwell certified that, after he had 
entered Winchester Town, he summoned the Castle who 
denied, then he planted six Guns, and after firing them 
round sent a second Summons for a Treaty, which he 
refused : That he made a Breach with two hundred Shot, 
and then the Governor beat a Parley, which was agreed 
to, and Colonel Hammond and Major Harrison, for 
Cromwell, agreed upon Articles for Surrender of the 
Castle, which was well manned with six hundred eighty 
Horse and Foot, near two hundred Gentlemen Officers, 
and their Servants, victualled with fifteen thousand Weight 
of Cheese, store of Wheat and Beer, twenty Barrels of 
Powder, seven Pieces of Cannon. The Works exceeding 
strong, eight hundred Pounds of Butter, one hundred 
forty Quarters of Wheat and Meal, seven thousand Weight 
of Bislcet, great store of other Provisions, Arms and 
Ammunition. 

"The Messenger of the good news had fifty Pound given 

him Mr. Peters was called in, and made a 

particular Relation of the taking of Winchester Castle. 
Oct 7, 1645."* 

"Mr. Peters, also being requested to make a relation to 
the House of Commons, spake as follows : The reader 
will like to hear Mr. Peters for once, a man concerning 
whom he has heard so many falsehoods, and to see an old 
grim scene through his eyes. Mr. Peters related That 
he came into Basing House some time after the storm, on 
Tuesday, 14th of October 1645 ; 'and took a view first of 
the works which were many, the circumvallion being above 
a mile in compass. The Old House had stood (as it is 
reported) two or three hundred years, a nest of Idolatry ; 
the New House surpassing that in beauty and stateliness ; 
and either of them fit to make an emperor's court. The 
rooms before the storm (it seems), in both Houses, were 
all completely furnished ; provisions for some years rather 
than months ; 400 quarters of wheat ; bacon divers rooms 
full, containing hundredsof flitches ; cheese proportionable ; 
with oatmeal, heef, pork ; beer divers cellars-full and that 
very good.' Mr. Peters having taken a draught of the 

* Whltelocke, ed. 1732, p. 175. 



24 HUGH PETER: 

same. * A bed in one room, furnished, which cost £1,300 
Popish books, many with copes, and such utensils. In 
truth, the House stood in its full pride ; and the Enemy 
was pursuaded that it would be the last piece of ground 
taken by the Parliament, because they had so often foiled 
our forces which had formerly appeared before it. In the 
several rooms and about the House, there were slain 
seventy-four, and only one woman, the daughter of Dr. 
Griffith, who by her railing,' poor lady, ' provoked our 
soldiers (then in heat) into a farther passion. There lay 
dead upon the ground Major Cuffle ; a man of great 
account amongst them, and a notorious Papist; slain by 
the hands of Major Harrison, that godly and gallant 
gentleman' — all men knowhim — 'and Robinson the Player, 
who a little before the storm was known to be mocking 
and scorning the Parliament and our Army : eight or 
nine gentlewomen of rank, running forth together, were 
entertained by the common soldiers somewhat coarsely ; 
yet not uncivilly, considering the action in hand. 

"'The plunder of the soldiers continued till Tuesday 
night, one soldier had a hundred-and-twenty pieces of 
gold for his share ; others plate, and others jewels ; 
among the rest one got three bags of silver which (he 
being not able to keep his own counsel) grew to be 
common pillage amongst the rest, and the fellow had but 
one half-crown left for himself at last. The soldiers sold 
the wheat to country-people ; which they held up at good 
rates a while ; but afterwards the market fell, and there 
were some abatements for haste. After that, they sold 
the household stuff, whereof there was good store, and 
the country loaded away many carts ; and they continued 
a great while, fetching out all manner of household stuff, 
till they had fetched out all the stools, chairs and other 
lumber, all of which they sold to the country-people by 
piecemeal. 

"'In all these great buildings, there was not one bar left 
in all the windows (save only what were on fire), before 
night. And the last work of all was the lead ; and by 
Wednesday morning they had hardly left one gutter about 
the House. And what the soldiers left the fire took hold 
on ; which made more than ordinary haste ; leaving 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 25 

nothing but bare walls and chimneys in less Ihnn twenty 
hours ; being occasioned by the neglect of the Enemy in 
quenching a fire ball of ours at first.' What a scene ! 'We 
know not how to give a just account of the number of 
persons that were within. For we have not quite three 
hundred prisoners, and it mny be have found a hundred 
slain, — whose bodies, some being covered with rubbish, 
came not at once to view. Only riding to the House on 
Tuesday night we heard divers crying in vaults for 
quarters, but our men could neither come to them, nor 
they to us. Amongst those that we saw slain, one of 
their officers lying on the ground, seeming so exceedingly 
tall, was measured ; and from his great toe to his crown 
was 9 feet in length' [sic], 

"The Marquis* being pressed by Mr. Peters arguing 
with him, urging him to yield before it came to storm, 
broke out and said : ' That if the King had no more 
ground in England but Basing House, he would adventure 
as he did, and so maintain it to the uttermost;' meaning 
with these Papists; comforting himself in his disaster, 
'that Basing House was called Loyalty.' But he was 
soon silenced in the question concerning the King and 
Parliament; and could only hope 'That the King might 
have a day again.' And thus the Lord was pleased in a 
few hours to show us what mortal seed all earthly glory 
grows upon, and how just and righteous the ways of God 
are, who taketh sinners in their own snares, and lifteth up 
the hands of His despised people. 

"This is now the twentieth garrison that hath been taken 
in this Summer, by this Army ; and I believe most of them 
the answers of the prayers and trophies of the faith, of 
some of God's servants. 

"The Commander of this Brigade, Lieutenant-General 
Cromwell, 'had spent much time with God in prayer the 
night before the storm, and seldom fights without some 
Text of Scripture to support him. This time he rested 
upon that blessed word of God, written in the Hundred 
and fifteenth Psalm, eighth verse. 'They that make them 
are like unto them ; so is every one that trusteth in 

* The Marqule of Winchester. 



26 HUGH PETER: 

them. Which, with some verses going before was now 
accomplished.' 

"Mr. Peters presented the Marquis's own Colours, which 
he brought from Basing ; the Motto of which was, Donee 
Pax redeal terris; the very same as King Charles gave 
upon his Coronation-money, when he came to the Crown. 
So Mr. Peters; and then withdrew, — getting by and by 
2001. a year settled on him."* 

Jan. 18, 1646. Sunday. At Dartmouth, Mr Del in 
the morning and Mr Peters in the evening, exhorted the 
soldiers to do their duty.f 

"For the right honourable the Lord Fairfax, these : 
May it please your Lordship, as soon as we were 
masters of the town, I sent a letter to your Lordship in 
the express to your house. The two forts are since 
surrendered, and Mr Peters this bearer, can relate all the 
particulars, it is one of the greatest businesses the General 
hath yet done, to God be the Glory, I take my leave, aud 
remain 

Your Lordship's most humble servant, 

I. Rush worth. 
Dartmouth, January 20, 1645." (1646. N. S.) 

Jan. 23, 1646. " Mr Peters came from the Army to the 
House, and made them a Narration of the storming and 
taking of Dartmouth, and of the valour, unity and affection 
of the Army, and presented several Letters, Papers and 
Crucifixes and other Popish things taken in the Town. "J 

"Peter was chaplain in the campaign of 1645-46; 
Whenever a town was to be assaulted, it was his business 
to preach a preparatory sermon to the storming parties ; 
at Bridgewater, Bristol and Dartmouth his eloquence was 
credited with a share in inspiring the soldiers. During 
the siege of Bristol he made converts of five thousand 
clubmen ; when Fairfax's army entered Cornwall his 
dispatches specially mentioned the usefulness of Peter in 
persuading his countrymen to submission. ... In 
addition to his duties as chaplain Peter exercised the 

• Whltelocke; ed. 1732, p. 218. Cailyle's Oliver Cromwell. 

t AngllaRedivlva. 

X Whltelocke, ed. 1732, p. 1S9. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 27 

functions of a confidential agent of the general and of a 
war correspondent. Fairfax habitually employed him to 
represent to (he parliament the condition of the army, the 
motives which determined his movements and the detail 
of his successes."* 

Feb. 28, 1646. Saturday. "His excellency had 
intelligence that salt ash was quitted by the enemy, and 
their works left undemolished ; that the Governour of 
Mount Edgecombe was resolved to conclude upon a treaty 
negociated by Master Peters : 

"The conditions for the surrender of mount Edgecomb, 
a place of great strength and consideration, were this day 
presented to the General by Master Coriton, Master 
Tower, Master Glanville, and Master Trevisa, gentlemen 
of the country, who were glad of the opportunity to 
present themselves to the General for his favour; the 
propositions were ratified by his excellency and letters of 
recommendation were agreed unto, to be drawn and sent 
on their behalf to the parliament, their reasonable coming 
in was a good service and master Peters' industry ; this 
negotiation was great, and worthy all acceptation and 
acknowledgement."! 

March 21, 1645 (1646, N. S.). " Mr Peters newly come 
from the Army, was called into the House and made them 
a particular relation of the proceedings of Sir Thomas 
Fairfax there, as is before mentioned, and that Hopton's 
Horse that were disbanded were near five thousand. 

"That the Lord Hopton was not gone for Oxford, but 
took shipping for France, and many of the Commanders 
with him, and some before, and others went to their own 
houses, that Pendennis Castle was closely besieged and 
that the General intended to return towards Exeter. 

"Order for an hundred pounds per annum to be settled 
on Mr. Peters, and his Heirs, out of the Earl of 
Worcesters Estate and fifty pounds to the Gentleman that 
brought the Letters from Sir. Thomas Fairfax. "| 

April 3, 1646. Peter preached a sermon, "God's 
Doings and Man's Duty," before the Lord Mayor and 

* Dictionary of National Biography. 

t Anglia Kedlvlva. 

I Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 198. 



28 HUGH PETER: 

Aldermen of the City of London and the Assembly of 
Divines; this sermon was one of Thanksgiving "for the 
recovery of the West and disbanding of tive thousand of 
the King's Horse !" and was printed by R. Raworth for 
G. Calvert at the sign of the Black and Spread Eagle at 
the west end of Pauls. 1646. 

Tlie following extracts are made from this sermon : — 

"Since you are still buzzed in the ear with a desperate 
increase of error, give me to leave this expedient by way 
of a queiy. The wound seems to be in the understanding, 
and the cure must be there (under favour) What if some 
convenient places in the city were set apart two or three 
times weekly, where Godly learned men, appointed by 
yourselves, and the loaders or heads of these errors, as 
they are termed, might have leave to come, and there in 
a brotherly way take and give satisfaction? For as 
conclaves have always been dangerous, so these poor 
erring men can not have the benefit to appear with 
boldness, and reasonable souls may sooner certainly be 
taught with reason and scripture than with cudgels and 
blows." 

"I could wish some of my learned brethren's quarrelling 
hours were rather spent upon clearing the originals, 
and so conveying pure scripture to posterity, than in 
scratching others with their sharpened pens, and making 
cockpits of pulpits." 

"Men and Brethren, whilst we are disputing here, they 
are perishing there and going to hell by droves. If I 
know anything, what you have gotten by the sword must 
be maintained by the word — I say the word, by which 
English Christians are made : in other countries disci- 
pline makes them so. Drive them into a church together 
and then dub them Christians ; you will find too much 
of this abroad and hence it comes to pass that most of 
their religion lies in polemics, which is the trade we are 
likely to drive if God prevent not." 

"What Mr. Peters further asked for was not stricter 
discipline, but more attractive preaching. Nor were 
men's bodies to be neglected. Why was not the 
Charterhouse employed in helping the widows and orphans 
of those who had been slain in the war? Why were there 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 29 

so many beggars in the city? Why could not the Court9 
do justice more quickly? And as a means thereto, why 
could not the language of the law be English instead of 
French — that badge of conquest? There might even be 
two or three friend-makers set up in every parish without 
whose labour and have none should implead another. 
Why were poor debtors to be kept in prison? Why 
should men's names be exposed to detraction? 

"I know no publick person, but ought to carry a spare 
handkerchief to wipe off dirt ; yet certainly blasting men's 
names in print, is not the way to clear a cause in dispute. 
Let us look to our duty and the Lord will care for our 
reproaches." 

In a letter from Giles Firmin* to John Winthrop, 
written from England in 1646, appears the following: 
"Mr. Peter hath done very much service since hjther hee 
came. I could wish hee did not too much countenance the 
Opinjanists, which wee did so cast out in New England. 
I know he abhores them in hjs heart, but hee hath many 
hang vpon him, being a man of such vse. I hope God 
will preserve him spottlesse, notwithstanding vjle 
aspersions cast vpon hjm, but I percejue jt is by the 
Presbyterjans, agaynst whom some tjme hee lets dropp a 
sharp word." "Colchester, 1st July."| 

1646. "A plantation was this year begun at Pequod 
River by Mr. John Winthrop Junr., Mr. Thomas Peter, 
a minister, (brother to Mr. Peter of Salem) and this 
Court power was given to them two for ordering and 
governing the plantation till further order, &c."| 

In 1646, Cromwell commanded Peter to raise a regi- 
ment of foot for service in Ireland. This attempt was 
unsuccessful, but undoubtedly gave rise to the report that 
Peter was a colonel. 

August, 1646. An ordinance sent up to the Lords for 
settling 200 pounds per annum upon Mr. Hugh Peter. § 

October, 1646. Ordinance for settling 200 pounds per 
annum on Mr. Hugh Peters. || 

* A physician of Ipswich, Mass., and a man of repute and standing. 

IMass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, vol. VII, p. 277. 
Wlnthrop's Journal, II, 2»>5. 
Whltelocke, ed. 1732, p. 218. 
Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 223. Evidently the same as the preceding. 



30 HUGH PETER: 

In this year he published his "Last Report of the English 
Wars," in which he answered seven questions. 

1. "Why he was silent at the surrender of Oxford." 
He replied that the place was so near London and the 

occurrence so generally known there was no need of his 
giving it greater publicity". He also adds "You had nothing 
committed there by ours that had not its rise from integrity 
and faithfulness to the State." 

2. " What he observed at Worcester, it being the last 
town in the Kings hands?" He speaks in hiirh terms of 
the skill and bravery, exhibited there by Col. Whalley and 
other officers. He observes " I preached at Worcester at 
our coining in, and afterwards, did observe a door open 
to the Gospel. I am now satisfied with my many, many 
petitions, that I might live to see this day, this blessed 
day, and the last town of the enemies taken. I am 
thinking whether to go a few days more in this vale to 
admire what I have seen upon earth, and then die, that I 
may praise him, as he would be praised, who hath founded 
mercies for his servants, and brought forth deliverance to 
miracle, through Jesus Christ." 

3. " What were best to do with the army?" 

" The disbanding of an army if trusty ought not to be a 
work of haste. Never fewer complaints, nor many men of 
such quality, whose design is only to obey their masters, 
viz. the Parliament." 

4. " If he had any expedient for the present difference ?" 
To nullify such want of harmony, the clergy should 

become reconciled, and general charity exercised: 
Presbyterians and Independents should be friendly and 
seek for the greatest public benefit. " Coals blown get 
heat and strength ; neglected grow cold. I think we might 
do God more service in study and pulpits, than in waiting 
at great mens doors and working them up to their selfish 
interests." 

5. " What his thoughts wore in relation to foreign 
States?" 

" That forthwith one might have some choice agents 
sent, as two to Sweden, two to the Cantons, our good 
friend, two to the Netherlands, and so to other parts, as 
we see cause, and these accompanied with a manifest of 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 31 

God's gracious dealings with the State, letting them know 
we omitted this work in our misery, lest our friends might 
fear us for beggars, but now being upon an even foot with 
them, we let them know our condition, and how we are 
ready to own them against a common enemy." 

6. " How these late mercies and conquests might be 
preserved and improved?" 

By the same means the mercy is gained, it may be 
preserved even the encouragement of good men "Walk 
plainly in your counsels, God needs no man's lies to carry 
on his work. Let it be our care that after ages may not 
say we conquered ourselves into a new slavery. Justice 
will exalt and maintain a nation. I wish they might be 
first sharers in it, that first adventure their estates and 
lives. A Slate may stand upon any frame of government, 
if fastened together with Justice, charity and industry, the 
only upholders of the flourishing neighbor state the 
Netherlands." He proposed, that, for the promotion of 
morals and religion, as the chief source of a nation's 
prosperity, three or four missionaries might be employed 
in each County. He added "how ripe I have found 
Herefordshire and "Worcestershire, for the Gospel and 
many other counties." 

7. " Why his name appears in so many books not 
without blots and he never wipes them off?" 

" 1 have been thinking to answer six or seven pamphlets, 
that name either enviously, or disgracefully, but yet 
remain doubting. The Lord rebuke Satan, This I must 
say, if either in Doctrine or practice I have failed, the time 
is not yet wherein any brother in any way of God hath 
dealt with me."* 

"I lived about six years near that famous Scotchman 
Mr. John Forbes with whom I travelled into Germany 
and enjoyed him in much love and sweetness constantly, 
from whom I never had but encouragement though we 
differed in the way of our churches. Learned Amesius 
breathed his last breath in my bosom. "f 

*This report was called in derision "Mr. Peter's politics." 

t Forbes was a Presbyterian, Ames a Separatist. Extraordinary toleration 
for those days! He evidently refers to Ames, and nses the Latin termination 
the more to emphasize "learned Amesius breathed his last," etc. Learned Amea 
would not be impressive. See list of Hugh Peter's works, Xo. 16. He and Amea 
were warm friends; he was very kind to Ames' widow. 



32 hugh feter: 

"Truly it wounds my soul, when I think Ireland would 
perish and England continue her misery through the 
disagreement of ten or twelve learned men. Could we 
but conquer each other's spirit, we should soon befool the 
Devil and bis instruments ; to which end I could wish we 
that are ministers might pray together, eat and drink 
together, because, if I mistake not, estrangement hath 
boiled us up to jealousy and hatred." 

Speaking of his former church in Rotterdam he remarked 
" I thank the Lord it continues to this day." Alluding to 
his residence in Salem he said — "nor did I loose all my 
seven years being in New England, amongst these faithful 
learned, godly brethren whoso way of worship, if we 
profess, it will not be groundless when their writings are 
examined. But to those printed scribblers against me, I 
may provide shortly a more satisfactory answer, where I 
may plainly charge untrue and unworthy passages upon 
the authors. Now the good Lord, who hath led captivity 
Captive for us, subbue us to himself, and grant that, in 
these tossing, troubling, foaming seas, we depart not from 
our principles of reason, honor, liberty, much less religion, 
which is the prayer of Hugh Peter." 

How near Peter came to returning to the land he loved 
is shown by the following letters to the Winthrops: 

Deale, 23 of June, 1645, — "desiring you to assure all 
the world that i am coining to 3'ou and haue sent my wife 
before for diverse reasons," 

1646. "I am coming over if I must, my wife conies of 
necessity to New England hauing run herselfe out of breath 
here; you know all, the Lord teach mee what to doe." 

Gravesend, 4 of 7ber. Be sure you never let my wife 
come away from thence without my leave & then you love 
me," 

16-9-1646. The elder Winthrop writes to his son at 
Fisher's Island near Pequod River: "Mrs. Peters went 
three days since to Salem;" fixing her arrival at least 
approximately, and about this time ho writes again: "My 
sister Peter who is now as she used to be," indicating at 
least temporary amelioration in her mental condition.* 

Peter to Winthrop, May 5, 1647. "Deere Brother— 

* Letters to the Winthrops : Mass. Historical Collections. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 33 

my coming was resolved vpon by this ship, but the Lord 
hath put in two impediments, the one my want of health 
which is much impayred, and 21y my land given by 
parliament is but even now turning into money. It is 
worth £211 per annum and I am putting it of. By the 
next ship I intend to come if God give me measure of 
strength. ... I pray (Sir) haue an eye to my wife, if 
she will come hither I hynder not, but I thought she might 
bee better there. . . Ah, sweet New England I & yet 
sweeter if dissensions bee not among you if you will giue 
any incouragemeut to those that are godly & shall differ, 
etc." 

To John Winthrop the elder, May 5 1647. " For my 
selfe I intend New England shall share in my comforts 
and Avish men tender in forsaking it, I am sure my spirit 
these 2 or 3 yeers hath bin restles about my stay here, 
and nothing vnder heauen but the especiall hand of the 
Lord could stay mee : I pray assure all the Country so, 
for I must write vnto your selfe now instead of many, 
being surprizd as I am hauing a full purpose to come in 
this ship really: my bookes you may tell the elders I 
shall bring with mee and it may be some thing else, but 
truly doe find things goe not well in my absence, and 
therefore would bee glad to see what I haue disposed of 
by my selfe : thus 1 Quaere 

1. Why Mr Payne of Ipswich should haue 120 and od 
pounds from my goods when neuer more then £60 were 
here demaunded? 

2. Why concluded without a word from mee or any 
on this side the water for mee? 

3. Why my goods sold at halfe the value to pay him 
which they cost here ? 

4. Why my wife should dispose of anything of my 
goods without your order, or the deacons, etc. ? 

5. Why Rob. Saltonstall should trouble Shirt* of the 
noate and others for 100 1 his father owed mee for bread 
for his family, and made mee be two years getting of my 
due, which his son it seems would haue payd back agayne, 
the attempt being monstruous thus to thinke to cheat his 
father's frends. 

* A Conveyancer. 
HIST. COLL. VOL. XXXVTII 3 



34 HUGH PETER: 

6. Why I should pay so much money for the Country 
viz : £200 and neuer considered of & as Mr Pocock sadly 
complayns, and why Sherly should not haue his £110 
own agreement, vizt, to relinquish the business of 
Plymouth ? 

These things I leave to your wisdom." .... 

Upon the return of Thomas Peter to England, in 1647, 
he finds that "his brother was in Chester preaching," and 
in April he writes from London to Winthrop : " Sir, After 
a sad travaile from Mallaga, but a fair one from thence 
hither, I haue met with a sad afflicted brother which is 
more greevous to me than I wille expresse. He needs 
much of your prayers, and if all the sages of Greece were 
heere cannot 3'ield him a contenting counsell."* . . 

May 17, 1647. Hugh Peter having given his share of 
a small barque to the town of Salem, the town received 
of Robert Codman £8-15-0 for profits which it had made. 

June, 1647 . "Mr Peters went to the King at Newmarket, 
and had much discourse with him."f 

" Mr Peters likewise was at Newmarket, and had much 
discourse with his Majest}' : His Majesty told Mr Peters, 
that he had often heard talk of him, but did not believe 
he had that Solidity in him he found by his Discourse, that 
he would have further Conference with him another time. 
Mr Peters moved His Majesty to hear him preach but 
His Majesty refused."! 

(Sat.) Sept. 18,1647. "After a sermon in Putney Church 
the General, many great Officers, Field-Officers, inferior 
Officers and Adjutators, met in the Church ; debated the 
Proposals of the Army towards a Settlement of this 
bleeding Nation ; altered some things in them ; — and were 
very full of the Sermon, which had been preached by Mr 
Peters. "§ 

Nov. 11, 1647. "& M r Pet r s is to pay 50 1 toy c colledge."|| 
[Harvard College.] 

" Wednesday, December 22, 1647, was, according to 
Appointment, kept as a Solemn Fast by the General and 

* Maes. Hist. Coll., 4th series, vn, p. 428. 
t Whitelocke, ed. 1732, i>. '.'54. 
i Ruslnvorth's Collections, VI, 578. 
§ Ruslnvorth's Collections, vn, 791. 
|| Records of Mass. Bay Colony. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 35 

Officers ; the Duties of the Day were performed by divers 
of the Officers, amongst whom there was a sweet Harmony. 
The Lieutenant General, Commissary General Ireton, 
Col. Tichburne, Col. Hewson, Mr Peters and other officers, 
pray'd very fervently and pathetically : this continued 
from Nine in the Morning till Seven at Night."* 

June 26, 1648. Thomas Peter writes " My brother is 
now before Pembroke with Cromwell who expects to carry 
the castle shortly." 

In the beginning of the same month June, 1648, Mr 
Peter went across to Mi I ford Haven and from the Lion, 
a parliamentary ship riding there, got " two drakes, two 
demi-culverins and two whole culverins, and safely 
conveyed them to the Leaguer; with which new 
implements an instantaneous array was made and a 
storming thereupon followed but without success."! 

Sept. 7, " Peter with Messrs Marshall and Caryl was 
requested to perform religious service before the House 
the next day which was Fast." 

1648. On the day of Pride's Purge, in the afternoon, 
Mr Peters arrived at the House and released Fiennes and 
Rudyerd, giving to those who inquired by what authority 
they had been detained the short answer : "By the power 
of the sword. "J 

December 20, he was desired to officiato before the 
House on the Friday following in St. Margaret's Church. 

January, 1648-9. "Upon a conference betwixt the King 
and Mr Hugh Peters, and the King desiring that one of 
his own chaplains might be permitted to come to him for 
his satisfaction in some scruples of conscience, Doctor 
Juxon Bishop of London was ordered to go to His 
Majesty. "§ 

January 21, 1648-9. Peter preached before the High 
Court and on the 28th in St. James' Chapel : this was two 
days before the King's death. || 

March 8, 1649. "Yesterday Mr Peters presenting 
Hamilton's Petition made many believe he would escape." 

* Rushworth's Collections, vn, 815. 
t Carlyle's Cromwell, Vol. I, p. 648. 
X Gardiner's Great Civil War, m, 539. 
§ Whitelocke, ed. 17:12, p. 370. 
This was his celebrated sermon on the text "To bind their kings iu chains 
and their nobles in fetters." 



36 HUGH PETER : 

The Duke of Hamilton commanded the Scottish forces that 
marched into England and were defeated at Preston. A 
report was current in New England that Peter had taken 
the Duke prisoner with his own hand. Peter's petition 
was unsuccessful, and Hamilton was executed the next day. 
Before his death he "bade Peter adieu & embraced him." 

March 20, 1649. Sir Henry Mildmay,* Sir Jus. 
Hamilton and Mr Hillard to be a committee to receive what 
Mr Peters, or any whom he may bring with him, have for 
the benefit of the commonwealth, and to thank him for 
the same. 

March 29, 1649. Mr Peter's proposition for building 
frigates was referred to the same committee [that is the 
Admiralty committee] . 

May 9, 1649. Twenty pounds to be payed to Col. 
Humphreys to enable him to go to Mr Peters with a 
physician. 

May 9, 1649. Council of State to Hugh Peters:— 
" We are sorry of your sickness at Sandwich, and doubting 
whether you can have there physicians acquainted with 
your condition have desired Col. Humphreys to visit you 
and bring a physician to consult with DrGourdonand one 
shall be left fit to take care of your health ; being very 
sensible of vour faithful service, we would not be wanting 
in anything that might tend to your recovery." 

In the summer of 1649, Peter is chaplain to the 
parliamentary forces sent against the rebels in Ireland. 

September, 1649. A proclamation was made by the 
Parliament wherein was stated "that Mr Peters the 
Minister, was arrived at Dublin, and that at the beginning 
of the Troubles in Ireland he led a Brigade against the 
Rebels, and came off with honour and victory, and the 
like was now expected from him."f 

From Dublin, Sept. 15, 1649, he writes to the Speaker 
of the House of Commons : 

"Sir,— The Truth is, Drogheda is taken, 3552 of the 
Enemy slain and 64 of ours. Col. Castles, and C. Symonds 
of note. Ashton the Governour killed, none spared, we 
have all Tyron, and Dundalk, and are marching to 

* Member from Walden. f Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 426. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 37 

Kilkenny. I come now from giving thanks in the great 
Church. We have all our Army well landed. 

I am yours 

Hugh Peter."* 

The same year Peter writes to John Winthrop, jr : M I 
pray you take speciall notice, with Mr Gott, of what I haue 
at Salem ; as also 100£ Mr Downing's house is bound for, 
as also £20 Mr Endecott hovse with all my other matters. 
My intention is you and yours should bee the better for 
it, as I have signified formelly. Let Mr Gott take the 
income of all and bee accountable, my child hauing 
another portion." . . 

The same year he sends a loadstone to the younger 
Winthrop. 

October 12, 1649. John Eliot writes to Hugh Peter: 
M The Lord hath greatly delighted to improve you, and 
eminently your talent is increased to ten talents for our 
Lord and Master's honour and use, and doubt not but 
your crowne shall be answerable. You are indeed much 
envyed, evil spoken of, smitten with the tongue. No 
matter. Be not troubled at what men say, when they 
speak evill of you, seeing you cannot but see, yea, all men 
know it, God dealeth well by you, the Lord doth improve, 
accept, succeed you. I cannot wish you in New England 
so long as you are of such great use and service in the Old ; 
not because I love you not, but because I love you and the 
cause of God, which you do totis viribus pursue and 
prosper in. I have a request unto you in behalfe of these 
poor Indians. We are about to make a Town and bring 
them to a cohabitation and civility, for the accomplishment 
whereof we want a magazine of all sorts of edge tools 
and instruments of husbandry, for clothing, etc, That 
successful and reasonable magazine of Provisions, which 
you were a lively instrument to procure so seasonably at 
Bristoll, for the relief of the army at Pembroke, doth 
incourage and imbolden me to request this favour, that you 
would be pleased to use that wisdom and interest the Lord 
hath given you in the hearts of his people to further this 
magazine for the poore Indians. "f 

* Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 427. 

t Felt's Ecclesiastical History of New England, Vol. IT, p. 16. 



38 HUGH PETER : 

March 25, 1650. "From Mil ford Haven [came news] 
that the country thereabouts did unanimously take the 
Engagement ; that Mr Peters opened the matter to them 
and did much to encourage them to take it."* 

Endecott writing to the younger Winthrop from Salem. 
Sept. 28, 1650, says : " Mr. Peters is Colnell of a foote 
regiment in Ireland." 

Jan. 2, 1650-1. "Mr Peters [is appointed] to be Consul 
at and Alusia [Andalusia?] and have credentials to the King 
of Spain and instructions about the business of the fleet 
going southward and to attend the Council to-morrow." 

From December to March, 1650-51, on his return from 
Ireland, he is very ill, and was attended for ten weeks by 
Dr. Young who testified against him at his trial. 

Letter to the Missionary Corporation in England from 
Wm. Steele, dated April 17, 1651, refers to charges of 
mismanagement of funds by Peter and Welde. "As for Mr 
Peters and Mr Welde they haue sufficiently satisfied vs 
with what hath been formerly answered." 

March 6, 1651. Mr Peter to be paid his quarterly 
allowance of £200 a year as it grows due. 

November 6, 1651. A sermon to be preached in the 
chapel at Whitehall every Friday at 5 p. m. by Mr Peters, 
and notice here to be given to him, to begin on the 14th 
inst. 

December 11, Mr Sterry, Mr Peters and Mr Caryl to 
be three ministers to preach before council in Whitehall 
Chapel, as they did last year, with the same allowance. 

January 20, 1651. "Vote that Mr Hale, Mr Steel, Mr 
Cocke, Mr Manby, Mr Sadler, Colonel Blunt, Sir Henry 
Blunt, Mr Berners, Major General Desborough,Mr Mover, 
Colonel Tomlinson, Mr Fountaine, Alderman Fowker, 
Mr H. Peters, Major Packer, Sir William Roberts, Mr 
Meltwold, Mr Mansell, Mr Rushworth, Mr Sparrow, and 
Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, be the Committee to take 
into Consideration what Inconveniences there are in the 
Law, how the Mischiefs which grow from delays, the 
chargeableness, and irregularities in the Proceedings of 
the Law may be prevented, and the speediest way to 
prevent the same. 

* The engagement of adhesion to the Parliament.— Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 447. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 39 

"And to present their Opinions to the Committee of 
Parliament appointed for that purpose, and they or any 
seven of them have power to send for any Person to confer 
with them in this business, and for Records."* 

Jan. 31, 1651. Whitelocke says, in this connection: 
" Mr Hugh Peters the minister who understood but little 
of the law was very opinionative, and would frequently 
mention some proceedings of law in Holland wherein he 
was altogether mistaken."! 

1651. "Soe wee toucke the tyme to goe to visit Mr 
Petters at his chamber. I was mery with him and called 
him the ArchBP : of Canterberye, in regard of his 
attendance bj' ministers and gentelmen, & it passed very 
well; soe he calling the Maionr4 sonn Winthrop, I put 
him inmynd to remember his eldest sonn in Mew England, 
& that he would be pleassed to giue yew his house at 
Salem, he said he cared not if he did. I desired he would 
write to yew by me to that purposse, he promised he 
would write by me, and I tould him I would call of him, 
though his lodging were aboue two myles from myne, & 
did so, but was gone to Greneage about a speshall accation, 
eonserneing Mrs Jaine Puckering, a knight's daughter & 
haire, that was stolne & maryed by an vnworthy person, 
which mariage wos disannulled. 

"1 sawe your sister, for shee wos then in London, and 
Mr Petters tould his sonn§ that he must bring his wife to 
waite of him, for he did see gentelwomen didwaite of him, 
Mrs Saltonstall, Mr Rich. Saltonstall wife, & other 
gentell women being thereto speake with him, which wee 
accordingly did observe him ther in another daye, & would 
haue gone with vs to dyne at Sir Hen. Vaine, but he would 
not." . . . — William Coddington to John Winthrop, Jr. || 

"About the same time Mr Peters, who still kept fair 
with those at Whitehall, made me a visit : and in our 
conversation about the publick affairs I freely told him my 
opinion concerning the actions of Cromwell, endeavouring 
to make him sensible not only of his injustice, but great 

* Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 520. 

t Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 521. 

t Major Stephen Winthrop. brother to John Winthrop, jr. 

§ Probably Thomas or Samuel Reade. 

II Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. VII, p. 281. 



40 HUGH peter: 

imprudence, thus to sacrifice the commonwealth to his 
ambition, and by every step he had lately taken to 
strengthen the hands of the common enemy, whereby he 
would undoubtedly open a way for the return of the family 
of the late king, who would not fail to do all that revenge 
could inspire them with ; whereas if he had made use of 
his power to establish the just liberties of the nation, or 
could yet be persuaded so to do, he might live more 
honoured and esteemed, have the pleasure and satisfaction 
arising from so generous an action, when he died, and leave 
his own family, together with the whole bod} r of the people, 
in :i most happy and flourishing condition. He confessed 
that what I had said was most true, but added that there 
was not a man about him who had courage enough to tell 
him so ; that for his part he had observed him immediately 
after tho victory at Worcester to be so elevated that he 
then began to fear what was since come to pass ; and that 
he told a friend with whom he then quartered in his return 
to London that ho was inclined to believe Cromwell would 
endeavour to make himself king."* 

In spite of the exciting and interesting condition of 
national affairs he longs for the land where he once dwelt : 
"Oh that I ouer left New-England ; or had neuer had this 
wife so sent to me ! Oh deare Sir ! My dayes are gone 
and I looke to my end apace," he writes to the younger 
Winthrop in 1652. 

At this time affairs were most prosperous with him 
and the condition of the country appearing to be settled 
he advises the younger Winthrop to come to England, 
instancing his brother, Major, or now Colonel, Winthrop's 
advancement and other promising conditions. 

March 2, 1652. "Mr Peters to preach for Mr Caryl in 
Whitehall Chapel on Lord's day afternoon until his 
return." 

20 2 mo 1652 " Mr. Peters is well at Whitehall."— Roger 
Williams to J. Winthrop, jr.f 

In 1653, Dutch ambassadors were sent to England 
(their fleet having been almost destroyed) to treat for 
peace. They apply to Peter and empower him to offer 

* Ludlow's Memoirs, ert. 1771, p. 989. 

t Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. VI, p. 286. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 41 

£300,000 for peace, but were unsuccessful. Again they 
applied to Cromwell who gave them their wish in 1654. 

Peter, always very friendl}- toward Holland, was much 
disturbed by the war with that country and even wrote to 
Sir George Ayscough taking him to task for making war 
upon his co-religionists. Sir George made no answer, 
but handed the letter to the Parliament whereby Mr Peters 
was severely reprimanded and was, for some time, in 
disgrace. 

That Peter's estimate of himself was a true one and that 
he was frequently lacking in judgment, is proved by 
several instances, but to a rather alarming extent in this 
case: A letter of intelligence from Holland, without 
signature and bearing the date of Sept. 26, 1653 (N. S.), 
is found among Thurloe's State Papers (Vol. i, p. 484) 
to this effect : "I cannot omit to certify you, that Mr 
Hugh Peters (whoe I believe is an honest man) doth 
correspond at Amsterdam with a woman called Mrs. 
Grace Crisp, concerninge state affairs which letters are 
communicated to Mr John Webster of . . . whoe is 
knowne a protest malignant . . . great mischief 
can be done to the commonwealth." . 

From the same source(Vol. i,p. 583) and also testifying 
to his lack of judgment comes a letter from Jongestall to 
His Excellency Frederic Count of Nassau, Stadtholdcr 
and Captain general of Friesland — "Mr Peters hath writ 
a letter to the queen [of Sweden] by the lord Whitelocke, 
wherein he relates the reasons why they put their king 
to death, and dissolved this last parliament, and withal 
sends to her majesty a great English dog, and a cheese for 
a present." 

Whitelocke, it seems, was much discomposed at being 
the bearer of these peculiar gifts, but the queen "merrily 
and with expressions of contentment received them," 
" though from so mean a hand."* 

In March, 1653-4, "Thirty-eight chosen men, the 
acknowledged flower of English Puritanism, were 
nominated by this ordinance [March 20th, same year], to 
form a Supreme Commission for the Trial of Public 

* Whitelocke : Journal of Embassy to Sweden. 



42 bugs peter: 

Preachers. Any person pretending to hold a church- 
living, or lay tithes, or clergy dues in England lias first 
to l>e tried and approved by these men. Of the thirty- 
eight, nine are laymen, onr friend old Sir Francis Rouse 
at the head of them and twenty-nine are clergy. His 
Highness we find bas nol much inquired of what sect 
they are: h:is known them to be Independents, to be 
Presbyterians, one or two of them to be even Anabaptists ; 
has been careful only of one characteristic, — That they 
:ire men of wisdom, and had the root of the matter in 
them, Owen, Goodwin, Sterry, Marshall, Manton, and 
others not yet quite unknown to men, were among these 
clerical Triers : the acknowledged Flower of Spiritual 
England al that time; and intent as Oliver himself was, 
with an awful earnestness, on actually having the Gospel 
taught to England."* Peter was one of the thirty-eight 
triers. 

He appears to have much trouble with his property in 
New England and repeatedly complains of its mismanage- 
ment. In liiol he writes: " 1 wonder they would sell 
my house at Salem to Mr Endeoot for 20 £ whereas by my 
letter I gaue it you and all I had there, in trust for my 
daughter, if shee came oner, and if not to you and yours, 
and that is my meaning, and pray you to looke to it, for 
Mr Endeoot hath nol payd me a penny, owing nice much 

more Here is 900 £ per annum for the 

Indians, 1 wish it were imployed for the English poore 
there." 

3. 1. 11)51. lie writes to r( my good trend Mr. Gotte 
deaoon at Salem now al Wenham. My dcere Freud I 
had yours, and truly do loue you hartily, though I 
haue bin some tymes troubled at my busines having no 
relumes & you selling my house for "20£ and lending 
out my bookes & things and (.ending home nothing to 
mee, but only what Spencer sent a note of a colt and 
three sheepe etc. though 1 am no way angry with you, for 
I lone you hartily but great payments haue gone forth 
you write & truly 1 know no debts but such as Mr. Payne 
made vpon mee. My mynd is that Mr. John Winthrop 

* Carlyle'a Oliver Cromwell, Vol. n, p. ti. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PIIILANTHROPI8T. 43 

might bee spoke with about what I haue to whom I assigned 
it long synce, vpon some conditions though : I profess no 
thing but want of health (I thinke) could detayne me from 
New England such is my loue to the place, & lonely it 
will bee yet, I pray doe but for inee, as I would doe for 
you, Mr. Downing owd me 180£, nobody would seise the 
Ik use 1 * lie made oner to nice, and now lice is here with 
him to make hast after him.f Salute your good wife, 
pay your selfe for wat charge I put you to, & loue 

Yours Hu : Peter."} 

Roger Williams writes on the 12th of July, 1654, soon 
after returning from England, to John Winthrop of 
Connecticut : "1 had no letter for you, but yours are all 
well. I was at the lodgings of Major Winthrop§ and Mr. 
Peters, but I missed them. Your brother flourishes in 
good esteem & is eminent for maintaining the freedom of 
the conscience as to matters of belief, religion & worship. 
Your father Peters preacheth the same dictum though not 
so zealously as some years since; yet cries out against 
New England rigidities and persecutions, their civil 
injuries and wrongs to himself and their unchristian 
dealings with him in excommunicating his distracted wife. 
All this he told mo in his lodgings at Whitehall, those 
lodgings which 1 w r as told wero Canterbury's ; but he 
himself told me that the library wherein we were together, 
was Canterbury's, and given him by the Parliament. His 
wife lives from him, not wholly, but much distracted. He 
tells me he had but £200 a year and he allowed her 
fourscore per annum of it. Surely Sir, the most holy 
Lord is most wise in all the trials he exerciseth his people 
with. He told mo that his affliction from his wife stirred 
him up to action abroad, & when success tempted him to 
pride, the bitterness in his bosom comforts was a cooler 
& a bridle to him."|| 

Even now Peter had more than this one afflict ion to 
embitter his life. Money is owed him in many quarters 

* This In horse in thotoxt, but evidently a mistake an other reference is made 
to Mr. Downlng'B house in this connection. 

t The exuberant use of pronouns without subjects, by the old worthies, is a 
great trial to the modern compiler. 

tMasB. Hist. Coll., 3d series, Vol. I, p. 179. 

§Son of the governor and brother of John Winthrop, jr. 

II Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d series, Vol. x. 



44 HUGH peter: 

which he cannot collect, and his estate in New England 
is greatly mismanaged. He appears to have lent money 
to many persons and to have been in debt to John 
Wiuthrop, jr., some hundreds of pounds in consequence, 
whence came a lessening of their early intimacy and 
affection and the Governor of Connecticut, who was 
formerly addressed as " My Deere Hart," and "take notice 
I loue you as myne owne soule" in 1649, is now only : 

Whitehall, 10-4-54. 

"My worthy Frond. I heerd from you and your wife 
also the last yeere, and if I delighted in writing long you 
would have some, but you know I doe not, and the many 
vnkindneses I had from New England hath much deadend 
me in these things, rather contenting myselfe with what 
I can doe here, then further to be troublesome to them : 
They owe me much money which I would freely give to 
your wife and children if they would pay it . . . For 
your wife's demand of 100£ I shall not be idle therein. 
My charge is here so great & my experience* that I can 
doe little for my friends, being oppresed with myne own. 
& my brothers and sisters necessity, yet I have sent you 
a small token . . . Mr. Got writes of the sale of my 
house ; Mr. Downing is not honest, owes me 100 £ for 
which his house is bound to mee. These are not good 
dealings. Mr. Endicott owes me money, pays none. I 
payd 20 £ in gold to Mr. Saltonstall also for him, but 
hardlv acknowledged and that also I wish you had." . . . 

Nov. 9, 1654. A letter from the Council of 
Massachusetts is directed to "the Reverend and much 
honored Mr. Hugh Peter." They apologize for their silence 
& then, "yet such is our confidence of your zeal for God, 
your real and cordial affection to the causo of God and 
the liberties and welfare of his peoplo here, that we are 
encouraged ; our necessities at this time also compelling us 
to make uso of all our friends, amongst whom we cannot 
but rank yourself among the chief, and are confident you 
will not suffer us to be mistaken therein but that in due 
time we shall see Amicus return. "f 

* Expense? 

t Felt's Ecclesiastical History of New England, Vol. II, p. 112. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 45 

Feb. 23, 1654. Joseph Caryl, Hugh Peters, Peter 
Sterry, ministers one-fourth years salary, £50 each. 

Jan. 31, 1655. Peter received £150 for three-fourths 
years salary at Whitehall. 

Dec. 21, 1655. He received £100 for a half-years 
salary at Whitehall. 

On the opening of the New House at the second 
Parliament, January 25, 1657-8. "Mr. Peter's moving 
exercise " is mentioned. 

The latter part of his life was embittered by every 
variety of vile accusation, the least of which was his 
reputed theft of the crown jewels, — and to which he 
refers in a letter: "Were I not a Christian, I am a 
Gentleman by birth, & from that extract do scorn to 
engage in the vile things suggested." 

William Hooke, writing to John Winthrop, Jr., 
April 13, 1657, says : "Mr Peters is not yet thoroughly 
recovered out of his late eclipse, but I hear better of his 
preaching than was formerly spoken of it."* 

His ill health gave him much uneasiness and at times 
he expressed a fear that " he would outlive his parts," but 
the Rev. William Hooke writing to the younger Winthrop 
at this time, says : " Mr Peters is in good health. "f 

January 25, 1657. Peter preached a sermon before 
the House, in which he said "religion was left by our 
ancestors (as, for instance, Smithfield and latter times), 
hot, fiery hot; but it was now fallen into luke-warm 
hands : We do not boil up our religion to the height ; 
Other nations are seeking for a general peace, whilst we, 
for want of an enemy, are scratching one another; They 
say they will come over and choose their religion when 
we have agreed of a religion : and when we use our God 
better they will serve him."| 

Mr. Peters was intrusted with the care of the library 
at St. James' and the following advertisement appeared 
in this connection: "Feb. 1, 1658. Tuesday, Workmen 
being employed for repairs of the house of St. James's, 
and some part of the leads over the library there being 

* Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d scries, Vol. I, p. 183. 
tMase. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. VII, p. 587. 
j Burton's Diary, Vol. II, p. 346. 



46 HUGH PETER \ 

to be amended, some idle Persona and youths took an 
opportunity to gel into the library, where they found 
a good store of medals, some of gold, others of silver, the 
resl of brass; whioh, for their rarity and antiquity, had 
formerly been oolleoted and wore still preserved there. 
'This they took to be treasure, and seized it as prize, divers 
of them filling their pookets; some of whioh were 
apprehended before they oould i^et. away, and are sinoe 
committed to the (late-house, by whioh means, many o\' 
the medals are reeovered, and more it is hoped will be. 
l>ut many are like to be lost, unless suoh persons as by 
acoident shall have a view, be pleased to discover them, 
These are, therefore, to desire all goldsmiths, and other 
persons whatsoever, that in ease such things shall be 
offered to them, they would take eare to apprehend the 
parties and give notioe thereof to Mr, Hugh Peters at 
WhiteHall."* 

The following letter from Colonel Loekhart to 
Seoretary Thurloe, appears in Thurloe'a State Papers, 
Vol. vn., p. 249. 

"From Dunkirk, July 8-18, L658. 

May it please your Lordship, 

1 could not sutler our worthy Friend, Mr. Peters, 
to oome away from Dunkirk without a Testimony of the 
ureal Benefits we have all reoeived from him in this 
Plaoe, where he hath laid himself forth in greal Charity 
and Goodness in Sermons, Prayers, and Exhortations, in 
visiting and relieving the Siok and woundedj and in all 
these, profitably applying the singular Talent God hath 
bestowed upon him to the ohief Ends proper for our 
Auditory ; For he hath not only showed the Soldiers 
their Duty to God, and pressed it Home upon them, 1 
hope to good advantage, but hath likewise acquainted 
them with their Obligations of Obedience to his Highnes's 
Government, and Affection io his Person. He hath 
laboured amongst us herewith much Goodwill, and seems 
to enlarge his Heart towards us. and Care o{' us for many 
other Things, the Effects whereof 1 design to leave upon 
that Providenoe whioh has brought us hither. It were 

* Burto&'e Diary, Vol, rr, p. 169 



TREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 47 

superfluous to tell your Lordship the Story of our present 
condition, either as to the. Civil Government, Works or 
Soldiery. He who hath studied all those more than any 
I know hero can certainly give the best Account ol them. 
Wherefore I commit the whole to his Information, and 
beg your Lordship's casting a favourable Eye upon such 
Propositions as he will offer your Lordship for the Good 
of the Garrison. I am, May it please your Lordship, 
Your most humble, faithful and obedient Servant, 

Will. Lockhart." 

The following is written in Lockhart's own hand : 

" My Lord 

Mr Peters hath taken leave at least three or four 
times, but still something falls out, which hinders his 
Return to England. lie hath been twice at Bergh, and 
hath spoke with the Cardinal* three or four times; I kept 
myself by, and had a care that ho did not importune him 
with too long Speeches. 

He returns, loaden with an Account of all Things here, 
and hath undertaken every Man's Business. I must give 
him that Testimony, that he gave us three or four very 
honest Sermons : and if it were possible to get him to 
mind Preaching, and to forbear the troubling himself with 
other Things, he would certainly prove a very fit Minister 
for Soldiers. I hope he comet h well satisfied from this 
Place. He hath often insinuated to me his Desire tostay 
hero, if he had a Call. Some of the Officers also have been 
with me to that Purpose ; but I have shifted him so 
handsomely, as, I hope, he will not bo displeased : Fori 
have told him, that the greatest Service ho can do us is 
to go to England, and carry on his Propositions, and to 
own us in all our other Interest, which he hath undertaken 
with much zeal." 

The first letter is evidently an open one ; the latter is 
as evidently private; it is sufficiently humorous and gives 
one a good deal of insight into Peter's character. 

July, 1658. Mr Hugh Peters related in the House the 
passages of Mardike and Dunkirk, where he preached to 
the Soldiers, f 

•Mftzartn. 

t Whltelocke, ed. 1732, p. 674. 



48 IIIHJM I'KTKIi: 

Ooti l", L658i The Assembly of Savoy in London 
begin their session. Peter is a member, 

\i the death of Cromwell i»«> preaohed b funeral sermon 
upon the text : " M.v servant Moses is dead." 

Sept. 7 1 L658. He was one of those appointed (<> have 
mourning for the late Proteotor, . . . and in the funeral 
prooosslon, among theohaplains of Whitehall walked "Mr 
Peters."* 

.i:m. 28, L658 59, [n Hx* House"Mr. Peters prayed, 
standing," the last referenoe we have to Ins officiating In 

the House. | 

"During Hi«< troubled period that followed [after 
Cromwell's death], he look little part in public affairs, 
probably owing toil! health, He deplored the overthrow 
<»i Riohard Cromwell, protested that he was ••» stranger to 
it, and declared thai 1 1 «■» looked upon the whole business 
as 'very sinful and ruinous.' When Monok marched into 
ESngland, Peters met him at St, Albans, and preaohed 
before him to the great disgust of the general's orthodox 
ohaplaln John Price." (Masere's Seleol Traots, u '756.) 
On the 24 of April in answer to some Inquiries from Monok, 
lu> wrote to him saying, " My weak head and oraiy oaroass 
puts me in mind of my great ohange, -iiul therefore thank 
God that these twelve months, ever si noe the breach o( 
Richard's parliament, I have meddled with no publio affairs 
more than the thoughts of mine own and others presented 
to yourself, (Manusoript of Mr Leybourne Popham)."^ 

January ll. L659 60, he was deprived of his lodgings 
at Whitehall. 

January 89, Ho was appointed by the Parliament to 
preaoh before General Monk, when tl>« latter was on his 
maroh from Sootland to London, ■•» fast day sermon at 
St. Albans; when it was said "he troubled the General 
with a long ftrsl sermon and :tt night too l»<< supererogated 
find prayed r long prayer In tiu> General's quarters." 

In M.n . the Council of State ordered his apprehension. 
Pamphlets, ballads and oartoons appeared against him in 
prolusion ; never was :» man so unpopular. 

• Burton'i Dim r,a 

i Durtou't im.u \ . \ ,>i in i< u 

* DtoUonivv) of Ntttloual ulojtrapbj 



PRBAOHBlt, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. \ i) 

\ letter of Roger Williams i«> Winthrop of ( !onnectiout , 
(l:it<<(i February 6, 1 « » -~» t » 60, gives premature rumour »>!' 
Peter's death i Sir, you were not long since the son of 
two noble fathers, Mr John Wiuthrop and Mr Hugh 
Peters, li is said thej arc i » * > 1 1 « extinguished. Sureh . 
1 did ever from m\ Soul, honour and love them even when 
their judgments led them to aillict imv"' 

A Letter from W W t<> William Goffe In 1660, 
lias the follow ing : 

"May the 19th, The Covt. was Burned in several] 
places of England, and oaried in ;> disgraceful maner 
(fixed to Horse Tailes) through the streets, with the 
effigies of t lu* Protector, Hugh Peters, and others whom 
iIh'y Imol a mind to vilii'u >"| 

June 7, 1660. Peter and Cornet Joyce were ordered 
to be arrested. Mark the coupling «>i their names, and 
it is olear in what estimation li<" was then held. 

duly is. He was exoepted from the Art of Indemnity . 
although he was neither one oi the seventy Commissions] • 
who tried the King nor one of tho fifty-nine who signed 
the death warrant . 1 

From this time until his arrest he was in hiding. 
"Peters, who had hidden himself to escape apprehension, 

drew up a policy for his life, which he contrived to get 

presented to the House of Lords, it denies that he took 
. 1 1 1 \ share in concerting the king's death and gives an 
account of his public career substantially agreeing with 
the defence made at Ids trial and the statements contained 
in his Last Legacy."§ 

A letter from Andrew Newport to Sir Richard Leveson 
states that "Hugh Peter was taken in Kent Street on 

Sunday last," that Sunday being the olsl of August, 

1660. He was at onoe committed to the Tower. A 

jingle of the times refers to him thus: 

• i mi ..i Ci. ri w mi nn lohn Know lot, 
Mm in i en . mi lortoa, \ ol \ III, p IQt 

t"Ool llaokor, wliowARoneol tlioNO to whom the warranto! tin high court 
ni |u n.«'. for tho execution <>r tho king, had been directed, togcthoi with »ii 
iiii'ii i 'rii- 1 , and the two porion who wove In monk upon the m n n .on when he 
wn bohondod, woro excepted by tho lords both foi llfeiintl e»tnto." Ludlow'* 

Mi'in.iii ■ . |i ','U 

SHUtorlonl MSS rjommltiilon, 7iii Report, p US; Dictionary <>i National 
Bfogi'aph] 

hint. 001 1 viii,. \\\\ 111 1 



50 HUGH PETER : 

"Sing hay ho, my honey, my heart shall never rue ; 
Twenty-four traytors now for a penny 
And into the bargain Hugh."* 

The Rev. John Davenport writes to John Winthrop, 
jr., from Newhaven, October 17, 1660: "Dr. Goodwin, 
Mr. Me, f and Mr. Peters are in prison and likely to lose 
their lives." 

After the King's restoration, Mr Peters being- 
apprehended and committed to prison, his Majesty sent a 
warrant to Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, 
to obtain information of his royal Father's library ; when 
Mr Peters testified under oath that "In the year 1648, he 
preserved the library in St James's against the violence 
and rapine of the soldiers, that the same continued three 
or four months in his custody ; that he did not take 
anything away, but left it uuviolated as he found it ; and 
that he delivered up the key and custody of all to Major 
General Ireton." 

Ludlow, J who knew Peter personally, speaks of him 
as follows in his Memoirs (ed. 1771, page 406) : 

"This person had been minister in England for many 
years, till he was forced to leave his native country by the 
persecution set on foot in the time of Laud, against all 
those who refused to comply with the innovations and 
superstitions which were then introduced into the publick 
worship. He went first into Holland, and from thence to 
New England ; where after some stay, being informed that 
the parliament had relieved the people in some measure 
from the abuses in church and state, and designed to 
perfect that work, he returned to England ; and in all 
places, and all occasions, encouraged the people to appeal 
vigorously for them. Having passed some time in England 
he was made chaplain to a brigade that was sent against 
the Irish rebels and observing the condition of the 
plundered protestauts in that country to deserve 
compassion, he went into Holland, and improved the interest 
he had there with so good success, that he procured about 

* Bibliotheea Cornubiensis, n, p. +71. 

t Philip Nye, an Independent minister and member of the Westminster Assem- 
bly of Divines. 
t One of the regicides. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 51 

thirty thousand pounds to be sent from thence into Ireland 
for their relief. He was a diligent and earnest solicitor 
for the distressed protestants of the valleys of Piedmont, 
who had been most inhumanely persecuted and reducep 
to the uttermost extremities by the tyranny of the Duke 
of Savoy ; and in gratitude to the Hollanders for the 
sanctuary he had found among them in the time of his 
distress, he was not a little serviceable to them in composing 
their differences with England in the time of Cromwell." 
"The 10th of October,* Sir John Robinson, Knight, 
Lieutenant of his Majesty's Tower of London, according 
to his Warrant receiv'd, delivered to Mr Sheriff the 
Prisoners hereafter named who were (in several coaches) 
with a strong Guard of Horse and Foot conveyed to 
Newgate, and about Nine of the Clock in the Morning 
delivered to the Keepers of that Prison, and thence 
brought to the Sessions House in the Old Bailey, Loudon, 
where the Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer were in 
Court assembled and where their Indictment was publickly 
read by Edward Shelton Esq. Clerk of the Crown. f . . . 

* This account of the trial is taken from Corbett's Complete Collection of State 
Trials. London, 1792. 

t " September 10. At night comes Mr Mooer, and tells me how Sir Hardress 
Waller (who only pleads guilty), Scott, Coke, Peters, Harrison, &c, were this day 
arraigned at the bar of the Sessions House, there being upon the bench the Lord 
Mayor, General Monk, my Lord of Sandwich, &c, such a bench of noblemen as 
had not been seen in England. They all seem to be dismayed, and will all be 
condemned without question. . . . To-morrow they are to plead what they have 
to say." . . . Pepys' Diary, p. 55. London, 1825. 



52 HUGH PETER : 

"Points resolved at the meeting preparatory to the 
Trials of the Murderers of the late King : 

4 ... it was agreed that the actual Murder of the 
King should be precisely laid in the Indictment, with the 
special Circumstances as it was done, and should be made 
use of as one of the Overt-Acts, to prove the compassing 
of his Death. 

6 ... it was resolved that there need not be two 
Witnesses to prove every Overt Act tending to the 
compassing of the King's Death, but one Witness to prove 
one Overt-Act tending to the Compassing of the King's 
Death, and another Witness to prove another Act tending 
to the same end are sufficient."* 

The Indictment was found at Hick's Hall, and there the 
proceedings began on Tuesday, the 9th of October, 1660. 

Hugh Peter was No. 10 on the bill of Indictment among 
the thirty-two that were arraigned for high-treason ; only 
ten of the thirty-two were executed. 

Clerk; Hugh Peters, Hold up thy Hand. How sayest 
thou? Art thou Guilty of the Treason whereof thou 
standest Indicted, and for which thou art now Arraigned? 
or not Guilty? 

Hugh Peters: I would not for Ten Thousand Worlds 
say I am Guilty. I am not Guilty. 

Clerk : How T will you be tried ? 

Hugh Peters: By the Word of God. (Here the People 
laughed.) 

Court : You must say, By God and the Country ; Tell 
him you that stand by him, what he should say, if he doth 
not know. 

Clerk: How will you be tried? 

Hugh Peters: By God and the Country. 

Clerk : God send thee a good Deliverance. 

Sessions House, Old Bailey, Oct. 13, 1660. 

Clerk of the Crown : Set Hugh Peter to the Bar (which 
was done accordingly). 

Clerk: Hugh Peters, Hold up thy Hand ; thou standest 
Indicted, &c. If you will challenge any of the Jury you 

* Any one might be proved a traitor under such a sweeping decision, which 
Included not only acts but words a* well, and made the latter as weighty a> the 
former. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 53 

must challenge thein when they come to the Book, before 
they are sworn. 

Lord Chief Baron :* Mr. Peters, you may challenge to 
the number of thirty-five peremptorily, but beyond that 
you cannot, without good Cause shown ; and that you may 
have Pen, Ink and Paper. 

Peters: My Lord, I shall challenge none. 

Sir Edward Turner,} to the Jury: you have often 
heard repeated to you that the Substantia] Part of the 
Charge is the Compassing and Imagining tbe Death of the 
King, and all the rest will be but Evidence to prove 
that Imagination against the Prisoner at the Bar, whom 
we will prove to be a Principal Actor in this sad Tragedy, 
and next to himj whom God hath taken away and reserved 
to his own Judgement ; and we shall endeavor to prove 
that he was a Chief Conspirator with Cromwell at several 
Times, and in several Places : and that it was designed by 
them ; We shall prove that he was the Principal Person 
to procure the Soldiery to cry out, Justice, Justice, or 
assist or desire those for the taking away the Life of the 
King. He did make use of his Profession, wherein he 
should have been the Minister of Peace, to Make himself a 
Trumpeter of War, of Treason and Sedition, in the 
Kingdom : He preached many Sermons to the Soldiery 
in direct Terms for taking away the King, Comparing the 
King to Barabbas: He was instrumental when the 
Proclamation for the High Court of Justice (as they called 
it) was proclaimed, directing where it should be proclaimed 
and in what place. When the King was brought upon the 
Stage, that Mock Work, he was the Person that stirred 
up the Soldiery below to cry for Justice ; we should shew 
you as he preached at several Times upon several 
Occasions, still he was in the Pulpit to promote this 
Business ; the next day after he was brought to Trial he 
commends it ; you shall hear all out of the Mouth of the 
Prisoner; therefore I say no more; call the Witnesses. 

Peters: May it please your Lordships, I will give you 

* Sir Orlando Rridgeman. 

t Attorney to His Highness, the Duke of York. 

% Cromwell. 



54 HUGH PETER : 

an Account of the Business : I lived 14 years out of 
England, when I came over I found the Wars begun ; I 
began no War, my Lord, nor have been the Trumpeter 
of any when I came out of the West Indies, I fled from 
the War into Ireland, to the Western Part there ; and it 
was after the Rebellion, when some of the Irish had been 
stirring there, I went and spent my time there. I was 
neither at Edgehill nor Naseby ; but my Lord ; after I 
came over there was War that the People were engaged 
in ; I was not here in the Beginning of it, but was a 
Stranger to the Carriage of it. 

When I came into the Nation I looked after Three 
Things : One was that there might be Sound Religion ; 
the Second was that Learning and Laws might be 
maintained ; the Third, that the Poor might be cared for ; 
and I must Confess I have spent most of my Time in these 
Things to this End and Purpose : There was a Noise in 
all Parts of some Miscarriages in Matters of Religion, 
after it was settled I lived in Ireland, I must profess for 
my own part, solemnly, that my Carriage hath been upon 
these Heads, For Religion, I have, through God's Mercies, 
spake of the Truths of the Protestant Church, upon this 
Account I did stay to see what God might do. 

I was sent over to his Majesty that we might have 
a little Help in point of Excise and Customs, and 
Encouragement in Learning. My Lord, this is true, that 
I being here in the Nation and being, sent over upon the 
Occasions of the Country, and not upon any Design ; but 
this I say (I cannot deny it), that after I came over and 
had seen the State of England, in some Measure I did stir, 
but by strong Importunities, the Ministers of London 
deeper than I : I am very sorry to hear of my Carriage 
towards the King ; it is my great Trouble ; I beg pardon 
for my own Folly and Weakness ; I thought God had a 
great Controversy with the Nation, and the Lord was 
displeased on all Hands ; that which some People took to 
I did take unto ; I went into the Army ; I saw at the 
Beginning of it that Corruptions grew among them. I 
suppose none can say I have gone aside from any Orthodox 
Truth of the Lord ; And now to take off the Scandal, upon 
me, and to the Business, let me beg of your Lordships to 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 55 

consider what ever Prejudice or Revenge may take up 
Mens Hearts, there is a God that knows all ; God hath a 
regard to the People of England ; I look upon this Nation 
as the Cabinet of the World, That that doth concern the 
Business is, this, my Lord, that after this Time hither I 
came, and did bear Witness to all the World, that there 
was amongst us something that was for better and 
something worse, for the Nation ; I took Advice of some 
great Persons concerning the Weightiness of it ; I had 
neither Malice nor Mischief in my Heart against the King ; 
upon this I did engage so far being Invited ; I went into 
the Wars, and there I found very strange and several 
Kinds of Providences, as this Day hath been seen ; I do 
not deny but that I was Active, but not to stir in a way 
that was not Honourable. I challenge a great Part of the 
Nation to manifest my Carriage among them : I shall make 
it good divers ways ; I had so much Respect to his Majesty, 
particularly at Windsor, that I propounded to his Majesty 
my Thoughts Three ways to preserve himself from Danger, 
which were good, as he was pleased to think, though they 
did not succeed, and the Work died ; as for Malice, I 
had none in me. It is true, there was a Difference amongst 
us, an Army, and an Army, I never had a Groat or a 
Penny from Oliver Cromwell since I knew this Place ; I 
profess I have had no Ends for Honour or Gain since I 
set Foot upon this Shore ; I challenge any Man that 
belonged to that Party whether they had not the same 
Respect from me as my own Party ; I have not persecuted 
any with Malice : I will only take off Malice. 

Lord Chief Baron: Your Business is Matter of Fact. 

Peters: I am unskilful in Law, this that I offer is to 
shew that I had no Malice in me ; I was so far from Malice, 
that I have a Certificate, if worth the reading, from one of 
the Emminentest Persons in the Nation, to shew I had no 
Malice : It is concerning the Marquis of Worcester, under 
his Lady's Hand, beginning with these Words, "I do here 
testifie that in all the Sufferings of my Husband, Mr Peters 
was my great Friend, &c." I have here a Seal (and then 
produced it) that the Earl of Norwich gave me to keep for 
his Sake for saving his Life, which I will keep as long as 
I live. 



56 HUGH PETER : 

Lord Chief Baron : I am not willing at all to interrupt 
you, or hinder you ; that which you speak of doing good 
Services, is not at all to the Point; we do not question 
you for what good you have done but for the Evil you 
have done : 1 hope there is no Malice in your Heart, nor 
upon the Court or Jury, we and they are upon our Oaths, 
and you hear the Matter alleged against you : pray come 
to the Matter. 

Peters: My Lord, I cannot remember them. 

Lord Chief Baron : Then I will remember you: You 
are charged by this Indictment for Compassing and 
Imagining the Death of the King, and there is set forth 
sundry Particulars to prove the Overt Act, that you with 
other Persons named in that Indictment, did consult and 
meet together, how to bring about the King's Death. Then 
you are charged with several Acts of Contriving and 
Endeavouring the King's death. Overt Acts that tend 
to the Compassing and Imagining the King's death, or any 
one of these, to encourage the bringing on the King to his 
Death, the consulting or meeting together about it, though 
you did not sit or sentence ; yet if you did any Thing 
tending to that Encouragement, or otherwise Abet it. 
Comfort or anywise Aid those Traitorous Persons that did 
it, in the doing of it you are by Law Guilty of the whole 
Fact: The proposing and determining, the King shall 
die, though you were not he that actually put him toDeath, 
yet notwithstanding, if you did the other, you are Guilty 
of all, if you shall speak any Seditious Speeches, be they 
in the Pulpit, or out of the Pulpit, if you shall utter any 
Thing that tends to Sedition, these are open Acts, which 
prove the Imagination of the Heart ; though Imagination 
of the Heart be Treason yet it cannot be proved but by 
open Acts, yet the Imagination itself is Treason. 

First you did conspire, all the Witnesses go along to 
prove this. Dr. Young saith, you came over from Ireland 
to his House, and after Five Days that you were recovered 
of the Flux you staid there Ten Weeks ; you said yourself 
there was enough, if it were true, to condemn you or any 
Man : I shall repeat it to you ; you told him a Narrative, 
that you came from New England, from thence to Ireland 
and then you came to Holland, with an Intent to see how 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. f>7 

you might bring on the Kingdom to bo a Commonwealth. 
Next he saith, you spake very often against the King by 
way of Disgrace, against him and his Family, against the 
King and his Offspring, this you said very often: Then 
you spake in Vilification of Monarchal Government, that 
this Commonwealth, would never be at peace till 150, or 
Three L's, Lords, Levites and Lawyers were taken away, 
at which he replied, then they must be all Switzers, 
Tinkers or Traitors : He swears you were a Colonel, and 
had a Commission ; that you would have had him accept 
of a Commission ; and that you had two Companies come 
from the West : you told him the Parliament had an Intent 
to secure Cromwell and yourself, but that you rid hard for 
it; and then you confessed you agreed then upon his 
Death, to bring him to Trial, and to cut off his Head ; you 
did agree together, and he believes it was your Advice to 
Cromwell; your Answer was this, that he was more 
violent than yourself; that he took upon him to be a Spy ; 
and that he was no competent Witness, because he was 
under a Temptation, because you did not help him to his 
Living, and so conceived it to be Malice ; you say he was 
used to take up such Courses in his own Country ; the 
Matter is not whether you had Malice to the King's Life 
or Monarchy. For the next, One Gunter, he swears, that 
he was a Servant to Mr. Hildesley, at the Star in Coleman 
Street, and this was in 1648, he saith that many of the 
Party of Cromwell did use to resort thither, amongst the 
rest he saw you, he said he came into them, and their 
Discourse was about Charles Stuart, and the Prisoner — 
and did guess it was about the King ; that you were privy 
to it then ; he saith this was Three Days before Oliver 
Cromwell went out of Town ; the Effect of that is urged 
no further than this, that you were so far of the Cabal, 
that you were present with those Persons, Cromwell, 
Ireton, Rich, and others ; you said, I was there once with 
Mr. Nathaniel Fines. Starkey, he saith, that at his Fathers 
House Ireton lay, and was quartered there at Windsor, 
before and when the King was Prisoner ; that you had 
your Quarters there, and Cromwell, too, in that Town: 
The General Meeting of the Council of War was at his 
Fathers House ; that Ireton and his wife lying there, you 



58 bugh peter: 

oame and resorted thither very often ; he saith then that 

it appeared that after theCounoil ofWar had done, many 

times alih and you, and Cromwell, and [reton, were there 

together, sometimes till Two O'Clock in the Morning: he 

saith then, that he did observe there was a Fifth Person 

(he did not remember Ins name) and von sal up usually 

till Two or Three in the Morning; Yon had Guards about 

von; he saith further, that Ireton being a Domestick, he 

often discoursed with him, and von oame sometimes to be 

there too ; that there being some Discourse concerning 

the King, many Times he did assert the Law concerning 

him, that he was Solutus legibus, as to his Person ; that 

von should say, that it was an unequal, Law, and that you 

did then discourse fully against the King's Government ; 

yon said he was a Tyrant, not lit for that Office; that the 

Office was useless, chargeable and dangerous; these very 

Words he observed, whioh afterwards were Printed when 

they took away Monarchy. He saith further, that was 

their full and whole Discourse; he saith that his Father 

at Supper used to say that usual Grace, " God save the 

King, Prince, and Realm;" but afterwards that he heard 

the King was made a Prisoner, thai his Father altering the 

Grace, he said, "Godsave his most excellent Majesty, and 

deliver him out of all his Enemies hands ;" you rose up, 

and said "Old Gentleman, y our Idol will not stand long;" 

that he did observe you often with them; he saith further, 

when Bacon was coming out, and speaking some Words 

concerning your frequent Affronting the King, you took 

up a Staff and were ready to heat him, and made an 

Uproar: It appears also of your being privy to Cromwell's 

.Yet ions. The next Witness is Walkely and he swears this 

against you, that he was in the Painted Chamber the next 

Day after the Proclamation was made; and there he saw 

John Goodwin and you: and there was an Assembly, and 

at the middle oi the table John Goodwin was, and made 

a long Speech or Prayer : that Cromwell would have had 

the People stay there, but it was ordered that they should 

be turned out: at the End he saw you come out with the 

rest ; there it appeared you were in the Consultation ; he 

saith he met the Army at St. James's, and then, when they 

were half past, he saw the King in his Coach, and there 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 59 

he saw Mr. Peters like Bishop Almoner riding immediately 
before the King ; and at St. James's Park he saw you 
Marshalling the Soldiers, that he was forced thereupon to 
go about; he saith further, that within a Year or Two 
aftei the Army was raised he heard you say these Words, 
If we can keep up our Army Seven Years longer we need 
not care for the King and all his Posterity. 

Peters: My Lord I must deny abundance of this ; the 
King commanded me to ride before him, that the Bishop 
of London might come to him. 

Lord Chief Baron: But this was Three Weeks after 
. . . The next Witness against you is one Proctor : he 
saith, that Day (as the other Witness did) he saw you 
riding just before the King's Coach and because he did his 
Duty the Soldiers threw him, Horse and all, into a Ditch. 
The next Witness is one Hard wick, he saith that when 
the Proclamation was read he saw you in Westminster 
Hall, and that you said, they had done as good as nothing, 
unless it was proclaimed in Cheapside and at the Old 
Exchange ; this you said to some of the Officers there. 

Peters: My Lord, I cannot acknowledge it. 

Lord Chief Baron : The next Witness against you is 
Simpson, he swears he saw you in Consultation with 
Oliver Cromwell, and take Sir William Brereton by the 
Hand, and come to Bradshawe's and this during the time 
of the King's Trial ; he further saith, that one Day when 
the King was at his Trial you commanded Colonel 
Stubbers to bid his Soldiers cry out Justice, Justice, 
which they cried, and afterwards some of the Soldiers spit 
upon the King. 

Peters: I do believe that he, that swore that, cannot 
say I was there. 

Lord Chief Baron : AnotherWitness is one Richardson, 
who saw you the First Day in the Court ; and he said 
further, that you commended Bradshaw and another, to 
wit Cook, for their Carriage in the Trial of the King ; 
that you held up your Hands and said This is a most 
Glorious Beginning of the Work. 

Peters: Whereabouts in the Court? 

Richardson : In the Body of the Court, called then the 
High Court of Justice. 



60 BUGH PBTEB ■ 

/Y\- •'■■.<; Mv Lord. 1 do not know that evei I was in tho 
body of tho Court. 

/. ' Bctron : The next Witness is Sir Jeremy 

Whichoot, he saith, he hoard you often Speak sourrilously 
of the King; and making a Narrative of Cromwells 
Escape, you said there was a Meeting, and there we 
resolved to sot aside the King; remember what tho other 
Witness said, wo agreed and here we resolved ; you Baid, I 
cannot but reverence the High Court of Justice, it doth 
resemble the Judging of the World at the Last Pay by the 
Saints: so it was the Saints that sat there; I would have 
preached before the Wretch, but the poor Wretoh would 
not hoar me : you often called him Tyrant : I cannot 
possibly remember tho Place, Things, or Words, that are 
alledged. Thou you have another Witness Nuunelly, he 
saith he came with a Warrant to Oliver Cromwell for 
some Money, and that he should say. go and soo the 
Beheading ot the King at Whitehall, he saith there ho mot 
with you (though you said you were not there that day 1 ) 
going to tho Banquetting House ; that you spoke to Tench, 
and whispered in his Ear, and that Tench wont and 
knocked Staples on tho Scaffold ; ho mooting Tench said. 
What, are you a Hangman? Saith Tench, this day will ho 
a happy Day ; ho saith after all this Hugh Peters was 
upon tho Scaffold, and that ho wont out with tho Hangman. 

Psfers: I do profess to your Lordships before Angels 
and Men that I did not stir out of my Chamber that day. 

/ - •::' Chief Baron: Tho Counsel doth not put Reliance 
upon that, because of what your Witness saith, though 
his Evidence is not satisfactory. Tho next is dough. 
and ho swears this, that ho saw you in tho Painted 
Chamber with tho Council o( Officers, and there you 
desired thorn to call on God tor a Blessing upon their 
Business, and there you said. " O Lord what a Mercy it i> 
to soo this groat City tall down before us! And what B 
Stir is there to bring this Great Man to Trial, without 
whoso Blood ho will turn us all into Blood, if ho reign 
again. And this was about a Month before tho King was 
Murthered, you hoar it. Mr. Peters. 

Peters; Some Tart 1 did, but it is impossible for mo to 
boar down many Witnossos . indeed, my Lord, I say this. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 61 

they are marvellous Uncharitable, and speak many false 
Things. 

Ziovd Chief Baron: The next is this, the Testimony 
oonoerning several Sermons of yours, and Let me loll 
you the Pulpit ought not to be a place where Men with 
Impunity may speak any Thing, what they List, of Sedition 
and Treason. 

Peters: I am of the same Judgment my ho If, my Lord. 

Lord Chief Baron: And there w;ih a Solemn Day to 
seek God, then you preaohed at St. Margarets' Church ; 
this w;is Mr. Bever ; in he oame, and heard you talk much 
of Barabbas and our Saviour; there you fell upon this 
speaking of the King, It is a sad thing that it should now 
be :i Question, whether wo should orucify our Saviour 
Jesus ( 'lirisi , or I hat great Barabbas, speaking of the King ; 

you culled him Traitor, Tyrant, Murtherer, of his SubjeotS, 

nnd the Like, you went on in, .'i Way of a Story, These 
( litizens, for a Little Trading they will have ( 'hrist orucified 
and the great Barabbas at Windsor released! and said 
you, to the Clergy, the Assembly, they are, nil for 
crucifying Christ, and releasing Barabbas; you made Hud, 
Expression, "0 Jesus, what shall wo do?" The King 

was a Prisoner then at Windsor, you made your A judica- 
tion to the Parliament that was then present, you told them 
the people did expect Justice from them ; you must, not 
prefer the, great Tyrant and Traitor, naming the King, to 

these poor hearts, (the Ped coats standing by). 

Peters: I must, profess against most of that. 
Lord Chief Baron: There is the same by others. Ft 
is further proved by the Order, that you were appointed 

to preach. 

Peters: [do notdeny I preached, but not these Things. 

Lord Chief Baron: The next Thing is this, there was 
one Mr. Chaoe, this was during the Trial, he saitfa you 
preached at Whitehall upon this text, Psalm CXLIX. 
"To hind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles in 

Fetters of Iron," You had two or Three Other Versos 
more ; then you mado a Discourse of a Mayor and a 
Bishop's Man, the Bishop's Man being drunk, the Mayor 
committed him to Prison ; the Bishop being angry, asked 

by what, Authority? The Mayor said, there was an Act 



<>2 Hlion i'kiki; : 

of Parliament for it ; he did not find that either the Bishop 
or his Man was excepted; you applied that to the King; 
said you, I will shew you an Act of the Bible, Whosoever 
sheds Man's Blood, by Men shall his Blood be shed ; this 
doth not except the King, Prince, Prince Rupert, Prince 
Maurice, or any of that Babble." 

I\iers : It is false. 

Lord Chief Baron: You said further, this is the Day 
that I and many other Saints of God have prayed for these 
many Years ;" and Oliver Cromwell laughed at that Time. 
The next Witness was Tongue, he heard you preach, and 
he swears the same with the former; that you applauded 
the Soldiers, and that you hoped to see such another Day 
-following as the Day before ; and that Blessed be God the 
House is purged, and the Lords will shortly be pulled out ; 
and the Twenty Eighth Hay of January, which was the 
Day after the King was Sentenced, at St. James's his 
Chapel, you took for your Text the CXLIX Psalm, 6, 7, 
8 and i) Verses, whereof these Words wore part," To bind 
their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles with Fetters of 
Iron ;" there in the middle of that Sermon, having spoken 
before of the King, you said you did intend to preach 
before the poor Wretch upon the 14th of Isaiah, 18, 19 and 
20 Verses, speaking of all the Kings of the Nations, Thou 
art cast out of thy Grave like an abominable Branch, &c, 
he saith further, you said, look upon your lesser Bibles 
and you will find the Title is, "The Tyrants Fall." There 
is another Witness that is one Bowdlor, a few Days before 
the King's Death, at St. Sepulcher's, there you fell upon 
t ho old Comparison, all along you compared the King to 
Barabbas ; and that a great many would have Christ 
crucified, and Barabbas released; all along comparing the 
King to Barabbas. One more, and that was Ryder, he 
heard this Text, " lie shall call his name Emanuel ;" you 
fell to speak of News; what shall become of the King? 
And you said "the King was Barabbas, and a great many 
would rather have Christ crucitied than Barabbas." And 
then Mr. Walker he saith, that after the King was first 
brought to his Trial he heard you say this, I have prayed 
and preached this Twenty Years and now may I say with 
old Simeon, " Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 03 

in Peace, tor mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation:" He 
mentions that you made Use of the other Comparison of 
the Mayor and the Bishop's Man, and inferred from thence 
that the King and Prince, &c, were not excepted out of 

the Scripture, where it is said " Whosoever sheds Man's 
Blood, &c. Yon have heard all this witnessed against 
you, what have you to say for yourself? 

Peters: These are but singie Witnesses. 

Lord Chief Baron: The Statute is Two Witnesses for 
Treason, but not Two to One individual Thing though 
there are several Witnesses have proved the same Thing 
about Barabbas, and our Saviour, " bind their Kings with 
Chains," &c, and of your other Actions there is a whole 
jury of Witnesses. Two Witnesses expressly, we agreed 
upon the King's Death, and we resolved to set the King 
aside. 

Peters: I do not know the Witnesses. 

Lord Oh ief Baron : One is Sir Jeremy Whicheot, the 
other is Dr. Young ;* you shall do well if yon have any 
Thing to invalidate these Witnesses to speak it, else the 
Jury will be sent together to deliver up their Verdict. 

Peters: My Lord, if I had Time and Opportunity, I 
could take off many of the Witnesses, but because their 
Testimony is without Controle I cannot satistie myself; I 
have no skill in the Law, else I might have spoke for 
myself; I do not know what to say more, unless I had 
more Time and Counsel. 

The Solicitor General:] If the Prisoner can say no 
more, here is this in it ; here are Five Places where he did 
consult about the King's Death, at Windsor, at Ware in 
Coleman Street, in the Painted Chamber, and in Bradshaw's 
House ; and Four Witnesses to prove this ; there are Two 
Witnesses to his Comparison of the King and Barabbas, 
and Two Witnesses to his Text of binding (heir Kings in 
Chains, &o. Proof that he hath been in" Action inNew 
England ; that he came from it with that Intent, and then 
went to Holland ; that he had been m Anns ; that he called 
the Day of his Majesty's Trial a Glorious Day, resembling 

* Dr. Young, who testified against him, was one of the jury that oondemned 
t sir Beneage t'luch. 



64 HUGH PETER : 

the Judging of the World by the Saints ; he prays for this 
in the Painted Chamber, preaches for it at Whitehall, St. 
James's chapel St. Sepulchre's; what Man could more 
contrive the Doath of the King than this miserable Priest 
hath done? The Honour of the Pulpit is to be vindicated ; 
and the Death of this Man will preach better than his Life 
did ; it may bo a Means to convert many a miserable 
Person, whom the Preaching of this Person hath seduced ; 
for many come here and say they did it, "in the fear of the 
Lord ;" and now you see who taught them ; and I hope 
you will make an Example of this Carnal Prophet. 

The Jury went together, and after a little Consultation 
settled in their Places. 

Clerk: Are you agreed in your Verdict? 

Jury: Yes. 

Clerk: Who shall say for you? 

Jury: Our Foreman. 

Clerk: How say you? Is the Prisoner at the Bar 
Guilty of the Treason whereof he stands Indicted? Or 
not Guilty? 

Foreman: Guilty. 

Clerk: And so you say all? 

Jury: Yes. 

Clerk: Look to him Keeper. 

Council: We desire Mr. Cook may bo brought to the 
Bar, and that they may both have their Judgement 
pronounced. . . . 

Clerk: Hugh Peters, Hold up thy Hand; what hast 
thou to say for thyself why Judgement should not pass 
a<rainst thee to Die according to Law? 

Peters: I will submit myself to God, and if I have 
spoken anything against the Gospel of Christ I am heartily 
sorry. 

Silence Commanded. 

Lord Chief Huron: You are both Persons of that 
Ingenuous and Liberal Education as I hope, I shall not 
need to tell you what it is to Die, you have had a great 
deal of Time to think of it ; you could not but think of that 
Issue of your Doings long ago, and therefore I shall spare 
my Labour of telling you what it is to Die and of that 
Eternity that you are to enter into ; only give me leave in 



PREAOHEB, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 65 

a few Words, in relation to both your Professions, to say 
something to shew the Nature and Hcinousness of this 
Offence, the Murther of the King. If you were not 
actually guilty of putting the King to Death, nay, admitting 
(in Charity) you had no intent to go as far as you did, you 
are l>y the Laws of Christ and this Nation, guilty of High 
Treason, in that you that are a Lawyer know very well (and 
I speak it that you may lay it to your Hart in the 
Convietions of your Conseienee, I must say to you as 
Joshua said to Aehan, "my Son, give Glory to God, and 
confess;" and it would bceome you so to do) you know 
very well it is the law of this Nation, that no one House, 
nor both Houses of Parliament have any coercive Power 
over the King, much less to put him to Death ; you know 
(as you cited very well) that the imprisoning of the King 
is Treason. You know both of you, this is an undoubted 
Truth ; the rule of the Law is, that the King, that is the 
King can do no Wrong; in the estimation of Law; he 
may do some particular Acts as a private Person, but he 
can do little Prejudice in his own Person ; if he would 
hurt any it must be by Ministers, in that case the Law 
provides a Remedy ; if he doth it by Ministers they must 
answer for it. The King of England is one of those 
Princes who hath an Imperial Crown; what is that? It 
is not to do what he will ; no, but it is that he shall not 
bo punished in his own Person if he doth that which in 
itself is unlawful. Now remember this when you took 
the Oaths of allegiance and supremacy; (I presume you 
both did so) What was your Oath of Supremacy? It 
was this, that the King was the only Supreme Government 
of these Realms ; it goes further, as he was the 
Supreme Governor, so he was the only Supreme Governor, 
that excludes Co-ordination ; you swear further, that you 
will to the utmost of your Power defend the King against 
all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever ; truly you that 
were a Lawyer when you had thus sworn, your Fee could 
be no Excuse against what you had sworn to. We know 
that the King, in his Politicks or Natural Capacity, is not 
only Salus Populi, but Salus Reipublicaj. The Law hath 
taken care that the People shall have Justice and Right; 
the King's Person ought not to be touched ; the King 



66 huge peter: 

himself is pleased to judge by the Law ; you see he doth 
by Law question the Death oi' his Father; ho doth not 
judge it himself, but the Law judges it. Mr. Peters 
knows very well he subscribed the 39 Articles of Religion ; 
look upon them that were continued in 1552, and upon 
those Articles that were confirmed in 13 Elizabeth ; the 
King - is there acknowledged to have the Chief Power in 
these Nations ; the meddling with the King was a 
Jesuitieal Doctrine: This I speak, not that the King- 
should or ought to Govern but by the Fundamental Laws 
of the Land ; they that keep within the Bounds of the 
Law are happy ; you that are a Lawyer know this in 
point of Law, and you that are a Divine know this in point 
of Divinity. You both know the Truth of it, and when 
you have thought upon it, I hope you will reflect upon 
that horrid Crime, the shedding of Royal Blood. You see 
he had granted all those Grievances of the People, taken 
them away, secured them, for the future ; and at this very 
Time, when this horrid Act was done you see he had 
granted all at the Desire of the People ; he had made 
those Concessions such, as (were it not in respect of 
others more than those that treated themselves) they 
thought was more than could be expected by the Nation. 
You that had a Hand in the King's Death it falls upon 
you, the Guilt of it, because you were some of those 
Instruments that assisted those Persons that broke the 
Treaty ; prepare yourselves for that Death which you are 
to die; it is a Debt which we all owe to Nature; if in 
this ease there is something of Shame comes to you it is 
that you must take as Part of the Reward of your Sin. 
The only Work, I have now to do is to pronounce the 
Judgment, and this is the Judgement of the Court, and 
the Court doth award, that both of you be led back to the 
Place from whence you came, and from thence shall be 
drawn upon a Hurdle, &c. and the Lord have Mercy upon 
your Souls. 

Clerk: Crier, make Proclamation. 

Clerk: O Yes,&c. All Manner of Persons, &c.and all 
Jurors and Witnesses, are to appear at this Place 
toMorrow Morning at Seven of the clock in the morning 
upon Pain of One hundred Pounds a piece. So God Bless 
king Charles, &c. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 1)7 

None of the accused Ave re allowed counsel although they 
repeatedly asked for the same. 

Ere his death let us hear his vindication in his own 
words. 

"The Case of Mr Hugh Peters Impartially 
Communicated lo the View and Censure of the Whole 
World: Written by his own hand. London; Printed 
for Sam. Speed, and are to he sold at his shop, at the 
signe of the Printing-Press in St. Pauls Churchyard. 

"They which think to Vindicate themselves to the 
World by writing Apologies, rarely reach their ends, 
because their Game is an After-Game ; prejudice is strong, 
and the Plaister can hardly be made broad enough, nor 
Apologies put into all hands who have prejudged and 
received the first tincture. And therefore our blessed 
Saviour is slow in that work ; onely clears the great 
question of that age, by proving himself the Messiah 
(Job, 5.) by four witnesses, but not forward to answer 
expectations of the World otherwise. 

"And yet so much of his example there is; yea, so 
much of St. Pauls, and others, that there seems to be a 
necessity of saying something, though hard to wipe off so 
much dirt as is thrown on my self. Yet at this distance 
and leasure, hearing bj' printed papers what my lot is in 
England, my native Country ; Therefore I do in the Name 
and fear of God, and before his holy Majesty, Angels and 
Men, profess that I never had head nor hand in contriving 
or managing the late Kings death, as is basely and 
scandalously suggested by black mouths : was all that day 
(he dyed) sick and sad in my Chamber, which I prove 
by two substantial witnesses. And for what is in that 
Pamphlet June 19, about my confessing in my sickness, 
landing at Plymouth from Ireland, it is most untrue and 
mistaken, for I never was sick at Plymouth, nor landed 
there from Ireland : nor any of that information 
colourablo : & this I avouch in the truth of my soul ; and 
would in presence justifie, if weakness, and lameness, and 
this distance did not hinder; yea, many years being upon 
me, and an utter inability to do my self right in these 
things, if the Lord do not make my way in the hearts of 
men. 

HIST. COLL. VOL. XXXVIII 8 



68 HUGH PETBB : 

tr I shall briefly give an account of my coming into 
England, my behaviour since I cumo, and my present 
condition in this Juncture. 

rr A Colony going to settle in New England, by his late 
Majesties Patent, I wool, thither, who by my birth in 
Cornwel, was not :i nieor stranger to that place, and 
fishing-trade: and thither, invited often, I say, went, and 
was with another sent into England by the Magistrates 
there, for ease in Exoise and Custom, and some supplies 
for Learning, &o, because 1 had been witness to the 
Indian:-; receiving the Gospel there in Faith and Practise; 
they having the Bible translated by us into their Language, 
and part thereof printed, and hundreds of them professing 
the Q-ospel, and teaching each other the knowledge of the 
true God; and the rather, from the example of the 
English there: when in seven years among thousands 
there dwelling, I never saw any drunk, nor heard an Oath, 
nor any begging, nor Sabbath broken : all which invited 
me over to England : but coming, found the Nation 

imbroyled in troubles and War; the Preaohing was, Curse 
ye Meroz, from Scotland to England ; the best Ministers 
going into the field : in which (not without urging) 1 was 
imbarqued in time; and by force upon me here, failed 
of my promise of returning home : which was and is my 
sad affliction. My first work was, with the first to go to 
Ireland ; which 1 did with many hazards, then w T as at sea 
with my old Patron the Earl of Warwick, to whom I ow'd 
my life; then was imploy'd by the City; then by tho 
Earl of Essex, my Lord Say, and others ; and my return 
stop! by the Power that was ; and so was in the last Army 
in several places, but never in the North: In all which 
affairs I did labour to perswade the Army to their duty. 
My principles in Religion guided me to those Orthodox 
truths exprest in the Confessions of Faith in England ; 
and known to joyn with the Protestants who are found in 
the Faith, in Germany upper and lower, France, &o, 1 have 
and do hereby witness against all Frronrs of all kinds. 
For the War, 1 thought the Undertakers knew their 
Work; 1 was inconsiderable, yea, heartily sorry for 
mistakes about me. For my Carriage, I challenge all 
the Kings party to speak if 1 were uncivil ; nay, many of 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 69 

them had my Purse, Hand, Help every way, and are 
ready to witness it ; yea, his present Majesties servants 
preserved by me through hazards. 1 was never privy to 
the Armies transactions about the late Bang at Holmby 
or elsewhere, or of any Junoto, Council or Cabal. But 
when his Majesty sent for me, I went to him, with whom 
I dealt about my New England business, & was three or 
four times with him, and had his special acceptance and 
served him to my utmost, and used all my little skill for 
his and the Nations good more than twice : for which I 
have witness; though it be hard to cut my way through 
so many Rocks. But God is Good. 

"It is true, I was of a Party, when I acted zealously, 
but not with malice or mischief: it hath been accounted 
Honourable, Et Ccsare in hoste probat, to keep to principles 
of honour and honesty. I never quarrelled others for 
their judgment in Conscience. It is received , that Religio 
docenda est, non coercend. I saw Reformation growing, 
Laws made, and some against debauchery and ovil (which I 
was glad to read in his Majesties late Proclamation). I saw 
a very learned, godly, able Ministry as any in the World, 
well provided for: I saw the Universities reformed, and 
flourishing; and such things much encouraged me in my 
Endeavours. I stndyed the 13 of the Rom. and was 
tender ; but found the best of Scotland and England of 
the Ministry engaged, and so satisfied me, that I 
understand the first undertaking is still maintained good. 
By the War, I never enriched myself: I have often 
offer'd my personal Estate for 2001, and for Lands, I never 
had any but that part of a Noblemans, which I never laid 
up peny of; nor never urged the Lord Grey, or others, 
to buy, nor knew not of the sale, till done ; nor justifie 
any unworthy thing in it. I never plundered nor cheated, 
never made peny over the Sea, nor hoarded or hid any 
in England. 

"I never was guilty of secluding the Members in 48, 
nor knew it, till done, and sent by my Lord Fairfax to 
fetch off two of them, and to know who they were that 
were secluded. 

"I never had Jewels, nor anything of Court or State, 
more than before, directly nor indirectly. Never had any 



7D HUGH PETER : 

Ecclesiastical Promotion in 1113' life in the Nation to enrich 
me ; but lived on my own when I had any thing : nor 
have born a lover of money. 

"The many scandals upon me for uneleanness, &c, I 
abhor as vile and false, being kept from that and those 
aspersions east ; and such I make my protest against as 
before. I know how low my name runs, how Titleless, 
how contemned. David knew why Shemei curst him. 

"For the Laws of England, I know no place hath better : 
onely having lived where things are more expedite and 
cheap, I have shewed my folly so to say : and having no 
evil intention, a very worthy Lawyer took exception at 
something of mine or my friends, which was never intended 
in his sense by either, and crave his excuse ; I can charge 
my self with evil enough, as any exeentriek motion of mine 
from my own Calling, want of a solemn spirit in slight 
times, with unbelief, if I have gone about to reach 
Religious ends by trampling upon civil duties, breaking 
of any Covenants, or slighting them ; and do fear Gospel, 
and the Spirit also may be undervalued by mine, and 
others unworthy dealing with them. Much to these I 
might add, who have seen many vanities under the Sun ; 
and the World hung with Nets and Snares: Alas, there is 
nothing to Christ. 

"And lastly, I understand what exception is upon me 
for Life and Estate in the House of Commons. I have 
taken hold o\' the Kings Majesties gracious Pardon, as 
others did ; and know not truly where this exception lies 
grounded. I wish I had been with their Honours to have 
clear'd it. I hope a Vagrant report or Airy Noise takes 
no Place with them : for I challenge the World for my 
innocence for these suggestions ; and appeal to their 
Honours, and the Noble Lords for a review of the Charge 
or Information ; and crave no favour if any sober man 
can charge me : otherwise I most heartily beg just favour, 
unless my evil be only for acting with such a party, I 
must have it : For I know before whom my Cause is, and 
may not despair. 

"I must again profess were I not a Christian, I am a 
Gentleman by birth, and from that extract do scorn to 
engage in the vile things suggested, and that by one 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 71 

creditless witness, that only supposeth, but assorts 
nothing. 

"I wish from my heart that our present Prince may 
be, and the Nation by him more happy then any ; and 
that the true ends of Government may be had and 
communicated fully ; that every honest heart may have 
cause to rejoyco in God, the King, and their Laws. And 
for my self (through Grace) I resolve to be quiet in a 
corner (if I may) to let God alone with ruling the World, 
to whose Wisdom and Power wo ought to submit ; yea, 
to mind mine own work, though never so small ; to be 
passive under Authority, rather then impatient; to 
procure the quiet and peace of the Nation to my utmost; 
to mind things invisible, and of a better consistence then 
these below ; and to pray, when I can do no more. 

Hugh Peters."* 

EXTRACTS FROM "A DYING FATHER'S LAST LEGACY 
TO AN ONELY CHILD." 

" There [in New England] I continued seven years till 
sent thither by the Plantation to mediate for ease in 
Customs and Excise ; the Country being poor, and a 
tender Plant, of their own setting and manuring. But 
coming hither, found the Nation imbroiled in those Civil 
Discontents, Jars and Wars, and here was forced to stay, 
though I had nothing to support me but the Parliament's 
Promises. And not being able in a short time to compass 
my Errand, studied with a constant purpose of Returning, 
and went with the first to Ireland, most of your London 
Godly Ministers being engaged in Person, Purse and 
Preaching in the Trouble ; I thought Ireland the clearest 

* No date is given to these printed pages, but they were evidently written early 
in 1660, 0.8. ; tney are bound with two other short articles: "Peters Pattern, or 
Tiic perfect Path to Worldly Happiness, As It was delivered In a Funeral Sermon 
Preached :it the [nternnent 01 Mr. Hugh Peters lately deceased. By I. C. 
Translator of Pineda upon Job, and one of the Triers. Gusman, Lib. i. 
Chap. 2. Verse 4. Amicus Plato, sed niagis arnica Veritas. London, printed in 
the Year 1659," and "The Tryall and Condemnation of Mr. John Cooke, Sollicltor 
to the late High-court oi Injustice, and Mr. Hugh Peters, that carnal] Prophet. 
For their several] I [igh-treasons, Ac. At the Sessions bo use In the Old-bally, on 
Saturday, the 13 of October, I860. Together with Their several! Pleas, and the 
Answers thereunto. Proverbs 2. r >. v. .'>. Take away the wicked from before 
the King, and His Throne shall lie established in righteousness. London 
Printed for John Stafford and Edward Thomas, 1660." 



72 HUGH PETER . 

work ; and had the Pay of a Preacher then and afterward, 
as I could get it ; I was not there at Edge-hill, nor the 
Bishop of Canterburies troubles or death. Upon my 
return was staid again from going home [mark, he calls 
it home] by the Earl of Warwick my Patron ; then by 
the Earl of Essex, afterward by the Parliament, who at 
Li.st gave me an Estate, now taken away. I had access 
to the King about my New-England business ; he used 
me civilly ; I, in requital, offered my poor thoughts three 
times for his safety ; I never had hand in contriving or 
acting his Death, as I am scandalized, but the contrary 
(to my moan power :) I was never in any Council or Cabal 
at any time, I hated it, and had no stowage for Council, 
thinking all Government should lie open to all; nor had 
a penny from any General, but lived in debt, as now I 
am ; nor had means for my Expenses, what I had others 
shared in. I confesse I did what I did strenuously, though 
with a weak head, being over-laid with my own and others 
troubles ; never was angry with any of the King's Party, 
nor any of them for being so ; thought the Parliament- 
Authority lawfull and never studied it much : have not 
had my hand in any man's blood, but saved many in Life 
and Estate. The Parliament in 1644 gave me the Bishop's 
Books valued at 140£. which I intended for New-England, 
being a part of his private Library, which (with all mine 
own) I have often offered for 150£. the mistake about them 
was and is great, for they never were so considerable : 
And these were my gettings who never aimed to be rich 
nor ever had means to reach it. . . . 

" The Changes grew (as you see) a Commonwealth I 
found but thus altered : I staid so long at White-hall, 
contented with any good Government that could keep 
things together ; till the breach of that they call Richard's 
Parliament, and then I removed, and never returned more, 
but fell sick long, and in trouble ever since ; never was 
summoned but once by the Council which was in April, 
about Books ; of which (lying sick) I craved of the 
President of the Council to excuse me, who sent unto me 
he had, and I gave him an account of the Books : but 
hearing that my Estate was gone, and I indebted, was 
private, and did purpose so to live, and so to die, having 



PREACHER, TATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 7o 

a resolution (which I kept) never to meddle with State- 
mutters, but either here, or in New-England, to spend my 
old age, in looking into my Grave and Eternity: and 
never had to do with any Insurrection with Souldiers or 
others ; nor never would, had I a longer lite, my head and 
heart be tired, as well as my body craz'd : I thought the 
Act of Indemnity would have included me, but the hard 
Character upon me, excluded me, which I was so sensible 
of, that Nature (in its own preservation) carried me to 
privacy ; but froe from that report of the manner which 
is suggested, of which you may be assured : By mjr zeal 
(it seems) I have exposed myself to all manner of reproach : 
but wish you to know that (besides your Mother) have 
had no fellowship (that way) with any Woman since first 
I knew her, having a godly wife before also, I blesse God. 
"But because what is before written, may seem rny 
white side only, I shall deal in all plainness with you, 
That though in Religion I am and have been really sound 
and Orthodox to my best apprehension, according to the 
blessed Word of God ; and the generality of the Protestant 
Confessions ; yea, though I travell'd through Protestant 
Churches for Order, to copy the best, and have joyned 
with the Churches of Christ, and took in with that I call a 
Tender Presbytery, for such was ours in New-England, 
and yet so, as I never unchurcht any Parish where a godly 
Minister was, and godly People joyned together, though 
not all so ; and do know God may have a People under 
all forms and would withdraw to the furthest Judges, rather 
than give offence to what I cannot close with ; yet so 
unworthy have my thoughts been of myself to be a meet 
Preacher of the Gospel, that more than twice had I given 
it over, had not Friends prevailed; yea, my profession 
of the Gospel hath been with much folly, weakness and 
vanity : I crave pardon of any that have taken offence, 
though in a Christian way I have not had the reproofs of 
Three either for Preaching or Conversation. I am heartily 
sorry I was Popular, and known better to others than 
myself: It hath much lain to my heart above any thing 
almost, That I left the people I was engaged to in New- 
England, it cuts deeply, I look upon it as a Root-evil : 
and though I was never Parson nor Vicar, never took 



74 HUGH PETER : 

Ecclesiastical promotion, never preach'd upon any 
agreement for money in my life, though not without 
oilers, and great ones; yet I had a Flock, I say I had a 
Flock to whom I was ordained, who were worthy of my 
Life and Labours ; but I could never think my self fit to 
be their Pastor, so unaccomplisht for such a work, for 
which, who is sufficient (cryes the Apostle) ? 

"This is my sore trouble ; and a private life would have 
become me best, and my poor gift have had its vent also. 
But here I was overpowered to stay. For Errors in 
Judgment I have pittied, never closed with any that I 
know ; when I was a Tryer of others, I went to hear and 
gain Experience rather than to judge : When I was 
called about mending Laws, I rather was there to pray 
than to mend Laws ; When to judge in Wills, I only went 
sometimes to learn, and help the Poor, than to judge, but 
in all these I confesse I might well have been spared. 

" Nor do I take pleasure in remembering any my least 
activity in State-matters, though this I can say, I nowhere 
minded who ruled fewer or more, so the good ends of 
Government be given out, in whieh men may live in 
Godliness and Honesty. I have often said, That is a good 
Government, where men may be as good as they can, not 
so bad as they would; where good men and things are 
uppermost ; and have thought if good Magistrates cannot 
bring all to their Judgments, the Dissenters may have 
liberty, being kept out of office, and want some other 
publick characters. That which a Friend of mine, and 
myself writ by Letters about Magistrates, was very little, 
and the Records of the Tower were only named, as giving 
way to all other Records, to cut off dissentions, or marks 
of Tyranny, which no good Prince will exercise ; I am 
sorry if any offended, it was Zeal for Quietnesse. I honour 
Laws, and good Lawyers heartily, and know their use ; 
only ease, expedition and cheapness, what good man doth 
not call for? Sedition is the heating mens minds against 
the present Authority, in that I never was, yet sorry, 
Authority should have any hard thoughts of me, or know 
so inconsiderable a creature as myself. I never could be 
fit for a Court, many wayes not fit, and am therefore 
grieved that I was either coustrained, or content to live, 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 75 

where I could do so little good ; for I would dye without 
a secret in my bosom, unless Cases of Conscience in the 
way of Preaching, which are secret, indeed ; and for 
reading them to the world I had appointed a Portion had 
it been continued to me. 

" Upon all this you may ask what design I drove, being 
look'd upon that way? Truly these three: 

" First, That Goodness, that which is really so, and such 
Religion might be highly advanced. 

" Secondly, That good Learning might have all 
Countenance. 

" Thirdly, That there might not be a Beggar in Israel, 
in England. 

"And for all these I have projected or laboured, and I 
have no other. And these I pray his present Majesty may 
looke to, and that God would blesse him every way. 

" If in the prosecutions of these I have used any of my 
wonted rudenesse, or unguarded zeal I am heartily as Sorry. 
So begging pardon from God and Man, Constitution or 
Custom, I conclude in these particulars, though the aim 
be good. 

" I conclude the former thus : I think, That as bad men 
care not who rule, or what is uppermost, so they may have 
their lusts ; so good men, if they may enjoy God and his 
Truth, with good Conscience. For my whole course you 
know and feel where my wound heth been these Twenty 
years,* which hath occasioned not only my Head and 
Heart breaking, but travelling from mine own Nest into 
businesse. 

"Blesse God, if ever you meet with suitableness in 
Marriage : For my spirit it wanted weight, through many 
tossings, my head that composure others have, credulous, 
and too careless ; but never mischievous nor malicious : 
I thought my work was to serve others, and so mine own 
Garden not so well cultivated ; only this I say, I aimed at 
a good mark, and trust the Lord in Jesus Christ hath 
accepted it. My Faith in the Everlasting Covenant was 
and is, though feeble, yet Faith. I could thus continue, 
ripping my whole heart to you, who have very often had 
great success, even to the last hours of my last Preaching, 

* His wife's mental malady. 



76 HUGH PETER : 

and am preaching the life of Faith to my self, to which 
call in all prayers to the Father in Jesus Christ his dearest 
Son, to whom let us look, as the Author and Finisher of 
our Faith, who for the pay that was set before him, 
endured the Crosse, despised the Shame, and now sits at 
the right hand of Majestie, making Intercessions for 
Transgressors, Heb. 12, 12. To whom be Glory and Praise, 
and Thanks for Ever. For he is worthy, who hath washed 
us from our sins by his own Blood, and made us Kings, 
and Priests unto God the Father ; To him be Glory and 
Dominion for ever. 

"For that part of my Lord Craven's Estate, which I 
have, took no small place in my trouble.* You may know 
that I was not in the City when that Act was made, nor 
urged my Lord Grey to buy ; nor ever advised the said 
Lord (as 1 had time) but to good and just things and 
company, against that Spirit of Levelling then stirring : 
and do heartily wish, that taken offence might dye : for 
it was not intended by me, who could and can be as 
well contented without Land, as with it; never being 
ambitious to be great or rich since I knew better things. 

"And now I must return to yourself again , and to give you 
my thoughts about your own Condition. I do first commend 
you to the Lord, and then to the care of a Faithfull Friend, 
whom I shall name unto you, if a Friend may be found in 
this Juncture, that dare own your Name (though there be 
more of your Name) and if* such a Friend advise it, that 
you serve in some Godly Family, to which you seem to 
incline, and must (it seems) ; but truly if not a good 
Family, what will your Condition be? Dwell where God 
dwells, and be in such Company, as you must be with in 
Heaven, and then you do but change your place, not your 
company, though it bo unexpected and uncouth, yet 
remember the best men have been servants, Moses kept 
his father's sheep ; so Jacob and the Patriarchs ; David to 
Saul, and many more; I have before given thee Rules 
for it ; and be sure to be steady to Family and Private 

* The Parliament had granted Peter lands out of Lord Craven's estate. "lfir.O. 
re 10th (1. of i lie 6th Mo. Concerning Mr Peters 1 heare little, onely from brother 
Hooker, that the lord Craven waytes hopefully tor the restitution of his lands, 
wherein, he saith Mr Peters hath a share, he is of kin to Monck, and sometimes 
dineth with him."— The Revd. John Davenport to John Winthrop Jr. Newhaven. 
Mass. Hist. Coll., 3rd series, Vol. x, i>. 38. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 77 

Duties, your Life will be dead without them, call your 
Condition God's Ordinance, and he can blesse it to you. 
But if you would go home to New-England (which you 
have much reason to do) go with good Company and trust 
God there ; the Church are a Tender Company ; a little 
will carry us through the world, yea very little : Oh 
Godliness with Content ! Your faithfulness to mo and 
your Mother will find acceptance in Heaven, I trust. My 
dear Child, tell me how couldst thou be without God's 
Rod? remember he hath a Stafle also. For your Mother 
(considering her distemper) I have and shall say more 
unto you. To his Grace who is able to do above all we 
can ask or think, I commend you both." 

"And if I go shortly where time shall be no more, where 
Cock nor Clock distinguish hours, sink not ; but lay thy 
head in his Bosom who can help thee : for he sits upon 
the Waves. Farewell. 

"And since we must part, must part ; take my Wishes, 
Sighs and Groans to follow thee, and pitty the feebleness 
of what I have sent, being writ under much, yea very 
much discomposure of spirit."* 

This written testimony concerning his life and work is 
added to that which he gave at his trial. History itself 
tells us of his many kindnesses to distressed royalists ; 
and no less a person than the King himself was, while in 
prison, indebted to Peter for the services of Dr. Juxon, 
Bishop of London, and for the admittance to his person 
of Sir John Denham intrusted with a message from the 
Queen, f 

"Some Notes taken of a Sermon preached by | Mr. 
Hugh Peters, the 14th. of October, 1660, | after his 
condemnation, in the Prison of Newgate, | where he was 
much interrupted by the coming in and | going forth of 
strangers that came to see him, and | the other prisoners, 
in the Room with him, and so | was constrained to break 
off the sooner; And though | they are but brief Heads, 

*"A dying Father's Last Legacy to an Onely Child, or Mr. Hugh Peters Advice 
to hi a Daughter, written by his own Hand during Ms late Imprisonment in the 
Tower of London; and given her a little before his Death." 

tWhitelock: Sir John Denham's Epsi. Dedic. to Charles II. of his Poems; 2d 
ed. 1671. 



78 HUGH peter: 

yet it's thought con- | venienthere to insert them, for tho 
better satisfac- | tion of* any touching the frame oi' Mr. 
Hugh Peters | at the time, | 

"The discourse was from iPsal. 12. ver. It: Why art 
thou cast down, O mysoule? and why art thou disquieted 
within me? Hope thou in God tor I shall yet praise him, 
who is the health of my Countenance and my God. 

"After Analyzing the psalme, he Observed this Doctrine, 

"Doctrine, That the best of God's people are apt to be 
disponding, This was the Man's case in the whole 88 psal, 
Also David's case, when he complained of the breaking of 
his Hones, &c, This was Christs ease hitnselfe, when he 
oryed out My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me. 

"The Reasons why the best oi' God's people, are apt to 
dispoudenoies, are, 

"First, When something falls out from God more than 
ordinary, when God puts weight in Sorrow and Affliction, 
that makes it sinking : Although that Afflictions are heavy 
oi' themselves many times, yet it's the weight that God 
puts in sorrow, that makes it sink us. 

"21y Over-valuing our oomforts, putting too much upon 
Wife, Children, Estate, or Life itself, a man is apt io be 
east down when he thinks of parting with them, 

"Thirdly, Our unpreparednesse for sufferings, and 
afflictions that makes us dispond. Also, 1 thought not ot 
it say some, its come unexpectedly upon me. 

"Fourthly, We are apt to dispond when our Afflictions 
are many when they are multitudes, when all is struck at 
together, Name, Estate, Relations and Life itself. 

"Fifthly, When Afflictions are of long continuance, a 
man can bear that Burthen a while, that he cannot stand 
under long. 

"Sixthly, when Afflictions fall upon the noblest part oi' 
man which is his soule, then are dispondeneies apt tooome 
in. 

"Seventhly, When we have more Sense then Faith, 

"Now it should not ho so, God's people ought not to 
he so, God's people ought not io dispond, 1. Because it 
discovers impatiency. "J. Because it discovers want of 
Faith, they leane not upon the Rock that will not fade 
them. o. It discovers want oi' Wisdom, &C. 4. Wo 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 7!> 

should not bo thus, because it gratifies the Enemy, who 
in such a case is ready to upbraid us, and say, where 
is now their God? what is become of their God? 

"Now what euro and remedies are there for diaponding. 
The Eleventh verso gives two. First, IIopo in God, 
Hope (hou in God. Secondly, Faith is set on work, 
/ shall yet j> raise him, &c. 

"But more particularly take these directions. 1. Be 
euro full of exercising faith, for no condition of nam 
supercoeds his Faith, do all in Faith, pray in Faith, and 
bear in Faith, &c. Now what is the exercise of Faith 
but rouling* upon Christ, and staying on him, here I'll 
stick, if I perish, I perish. 

"The miscarriages of Christians, is either because they 
have no faith, or else, because, if they have faith, they 
give it not food to live upon ; faith must go to Christ, as 
the Liver Vaino and fetch blood and life thence. We quarrel 
that f we have not Love, and patience and meeknesse, 
&c. but tho defect lyes in our faith, if we had more faith 
we should have more of all other Graces. 

".Now what is the food of faith? Ans. Faith will not 
feed upon every dish, not on a stalled Ox or fatted Calfe ; 
prosperity is not faiths food. But it will Eat a word, 
livo upon promises, these nourish faith, I will never leave 
thee, nor forsake thee, all things shall work together for 
good, and the like promises. 

" 2. Be marvellously carefull of things below, measure 
things bolow, measure things not by souse, or by a day, 
but by faith and Eternity ; we are troubled at the losse 
of this and tother Creature, and comfort, but what's the 
value of thorn, tho over valluing things is our mischiefe. 

"3. Go and toll tho Lord Christ I have defiled 
conscience, and if thou doest not wash me, I am undone 
for Ever. See the necessity and worth of Christ ; there 
must be something better to look at than what we looso 
for the present, something above Estate, and Life, and 
Relations, and Name. See the worth of Christ's blood, 

*Tlit8 curious word Is evidently "roll." See Pepys' Diary, Mar. 7,1661.2. 
"Early to White Ball to theChapel where, by Mr. Blagrave's means l got Into 
his pew and heard Dr. Creeton. the great Scotchman ana chaplain In ordinary to 
the Klngipreacb before the Kin;',, and Duke and Duchess upon the words <>'' 
Mlcah: 'Roule yourselves In dust. He made a most Learned sermon upon the 
wordu; but in liis application, Hie most comical man that ever 1 heard iii my life. 
•Just such a man as Uu^h 1'eter." 



80 HUGH PETER : 

it's worth all the work! , because what the blood of Bulls and 
Goats could not doe, his blood doth cleanse from all sinne. 
" 4. Keep close to the use of Ordinances much of our 
mischief hath come from neglects of this kind ; the safety 
of a Christian lyes in the enjoyment of Church Communion, 
Psal. xxvii-4, 5, and 6 Verses, One thing I have desired 
of the Lord, and that will I seeke after, that I may dwell 
in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my Life, &c. for 
in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavillion, 
in the secret of his Tabernacle, shall ho hide me, he shall 
set me upon a Rock ; and now shall my head be lifted up 
above mine Enemies round about me, &c. The greatest 
fears are dispelled then — you shall find before troubles 
passe over (for you expect some) it will be a hard matter 
to break Churches, they are so fast Ohayned together, and 
yet there hath been marvellous miscarriages amongst 
Saints in their Church Relations. 

Finis. 

He also during his imprisonment in the Tower, wrote 
some sheets of paper to his Daughter, leaving them with 
her as his last Legacy, containing in it very much sound 
and wholesome advice as to her soules health. It carries 
with it such a savour as denotes it proceeds from a spirit 
that hath learned experience in Christ's schoole, and hath 
been acquainted sometimes with sunshine as well as foul 
weather, it's too long here to be inserted, but if it be 
made publick by itselfe, doubtlesse the Experienced 
Reader will be no looser by perusing this legacy." 

In Cobbett's State Trials, London, 1792, appear the 
following extracts from " Some Memorable Passages of 
Mr. Hugh Peters, in his Imprisonment at Newgate, and 
at the time of his Execution at Charing-Crosse, October 
16, 1(360. 

"Mr. Peters, as is well known, was exercised under a 
groat Conflict in his own Spirit, during the time of his 
Imprisonment, fearing (as he would often say) that he 
should not go through his Sufferings with Courage and 
Comfort, and said to Friends, that he was somewhat 
unprepared for Death, and therefore unwilling to dye ; 
something he said he had committed, and other things 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 81 

omitted, which troubled him ; but tho' it was a Cloudy 
and dark Day with him for a Season ; yet the Light of 
Gods Grace and Favour would break forth at last. 

"And surely the Favour of God did at last appear, for 
a little before he went forth to Execution (as mauy can 
testify) he was well composed in his Spirit, and cheerfully 
said, I thank God now I can dye, I can looke Death in the 
Face and not be afraid. 

" As for the slanderous Report which was too much 
received by good People as well as bad, to wit, that he 
was guilty of Unclcanuesse : A Friend coming to him in 
Prison, put that Question seriously and soberly to his 
Soule, to which he reply 'd That he blessed the Lord, he 
was wholy clear in that Matter, and that he never knew 
any woman but his own wife. 

" A Night or two before he suffered, two of the Episcopal 
Clergy, who as some report were the King's Chaplains, 
came to give him a Visit ; they endeavoured to make 
Advantage of the Temptations wherewith he was then 
assaulted, and to perswade him to a Repentance and 
Recantation of his former Activity in the Parliament 
Cause, which they endeavoured to enforce upon him by a 
Promise of Pardon from the King, in case he would harken 
to them. But tho' he was then much afflicted in his Spirit, 
yet the Lord did help him to beare up with much Courage 
against the Insinuations of that sort of Men, and told them 
he had no Cause in the least to repent of his Adhering to 
that Interest ; but rather, that he had in the Prosecution 
thereof done no more for God and his People, in these 
Nations ; and with Civility dismissing those Visitants, he 
applyed himself to some other Ministers then present, 
whome he judged more able to speake a Word in Season 
to him under these great Tryals, wherewith the Lord was 
then pleased to exercise him. 

" Mr Cooke to Mr Peters In the Dungeon said, 'Brother 
Peters, we shall be in Heaven to-morrow in Bliss and 
Glory, What a blessed thing is that, my very heart leaps 
within me for Joy ; I am now just as I was in the storm, 
almost in Sight of Heaven. Read me, Isaiah, 43, 9-10- 
11; 61; 10-11 Hosea 13-14.' Then looking upon his 
bed, said ' That shall be my last Pillow, I will lay me 



82 HUGH PETER : 

down and sleep a while,' and he slept about an hour and a 
half, and then awoke saying, 'Now farewell Sleep, no more 
Sleep in this World and farewell Darkness and Light I am 
going where there shall be no Night there neither need of 
("audio, nor of the Sun for the Lord will give us Light; 
yea, the Lord will be our everlasting Light, and our God 
will be our Glory.' "... 

Justice Coke on the day of execution said to Mr. 
Peters, "Brother Peters, this is our wedding day ; we 
know that the bridegroom is come, and we are ready to 
enter into the marriage, we are now going to the souls 
under tho altar, and could our Judges but know what 
glory we shall be in before 12 o'clock, they would desire 
and pray to be with us, their blindness is my sorrow ; for 
when we are gone, our blood will cry, and do them more 
hurl, than if we had lived." 

The third day after their trial, Oct. 10, 1G60, Peter and 
the Solicitor John Coke, who had been one of the 
prosecutors of the late King, were dragged on " two 
sleddes "* from Newgate to the place of their execution 
at Charing-Cross. Their sentences were the same, but 
the head of Major General Harrison had been placed on 
a pole on Coke's sled with the face towards him. Instead 
of this sight tilling Coke with tear it appeared to inspire 
him with courage and enthusiasm. 

In his last speech he said (referring to Peter's previous 
state of mind), "Here is a poor Brother coming, lam afraid 
that he, is not fit to die at this Time; I could wish his 
Majesty might shew some Mercy." 

"The Sheriffe interrupted in Words to this effect : f Let 
that alone, tor the King's Majesty hath Clemency enough 
for all but his Father's Murtherers."' 

Coke suffered first : he was hanged by the neck and then 
cut down alive. His body, after other mutilation, was 
opened and the bowels were taken out and burned. Then 
came the merciful blow that severed the head from the 
body, and lastly the body was cut into four parts for 
permanent exhibition in as many places; these being, 
usually, the four principal cities of the kingdom, while the 
head was set upon Temple Bar. 

* Ludlow. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 83 

"Peter, being carried upon the Sledge to execution, and 
made to sit within the Railes at Charing-Crosse to behold 
the Execution of Mr Coke. One comes to him and upbraided 
him with the Death ci' the King, bidding him (with 
opprobrious Language) to repent: He reply ed, 'Friend, 
you do not well to trample upon a Dying Man, you are 
greatly mistaken, I had nothing to do in the Death of the 
King.' 

V\ hen Mr Cooke was cut down and brought to be 
quartered, one they called Coll. Turner, calling to the 
Sheriff's Men to bring Mr Peters near, that he might see 
it, And by and by the Hangman came to him, allbesmer'd 
in Blood, and rubbing his bloody Hands together, ho 
(tauntingly) ask'd, 'Come, how do you like this, Mr 
Peters, hew do you like this Work?' To whom he 
reply 'ed, 'I am not (I thank God) terrifyed at it, you 
may do your worst !' 

M When he was going to his execution, he look't about 
and espy'd a Man, to whom he gave a Piece of Gold 
(having Bowed it first) and desir'd him to goe to the 
Place where his Daughter lodged, and to carry that to her 
as a Token from him, and to let her know that : — * 

"'My heart is full of Comfort ; 1 am ready to die ; weep 
not for me; let them weep who part and shall never meet 
again, you and I shall meet again in Heaven, and before 
this pieee of Gold reaches you I shall be with God in Glory, 
where is no Night, no need of a Candle, nor of the Sun 
tor the Lord will give us Light.' The man being dismissed 
with the piece of gold Mr Peters said to the Sheriff: ' I 
truly forgive you and all men from my heart and if you 
will believe the wouls oi' a dying man, I tell you. 1 am 
not convinced of any thing I have done amiss in the 
business for which I am condemned to suffer, and of 
consequence, I do not repent of anything there is done by 
me. I own the cause of God and his people and 1 am 
here this day to bear witness to it, I bless the Lord 1 have 
nothing lying upon ray conscience and I bless the Lord 
that he has in goodness and mercy made me willing to 
give myself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto 

* state Trials, London, L792. 
HI9T. COLL. VOL. XXXVni 9 



84 HUGH PJSTEB I 

God. I thank the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that in 
weakness I am strong, and am not unwilling to go to God 
through the fire and jaws of death, blessed be the Lord 
Jesus, that hath given me the victory over sin and death, 
and hath supported me with spiritual Joy on this good 
day. Oh, my soul, bless the Lord, that death, my good 
friend, is come to guard me out of time into eternity, bless 
the Lord, O my soul, in this moment ; for he is come that 
I have long looked for, and support me with his 
everlasting arm, come, beloved spirit, come and make 
haste, and be thou like a young roe upon the mountain 
of spices. Lord Jesus, I come to thee upon the wings of 
faith, Lord Jesus receive me with grace into the Joy of 
my Lord. Amen.' Then with a smiling countenance, he 
yielded to the stroke of death."* 

" Being upon the ladder he [Peter] spake to the Sheriffe 
saying. Sir, you have here slain one of the Servants of 
God before mine eyes, and have made me to behold it, on 
purpose to terrific and discourage me, but God hath made 
it for an Ordinance to me for my Strengthening and 
Encouragement. 

"When he was going to die, he said, ' What Flesh, art 
thou unwilling to go to God through the Fire and Jaws of 
Death? Oh, (said he) this is a good day, he is come that 
I have long look'd for, and I shall be with him in Glory,' 
and so smiled when he went away.f 

"Tuesday following, being the sixteenth of October, 
Mr John Cook and Mr Hugh Peters were about the same 
hour [between nine and ten in the morning] carried on 
two Hurdles to the same place, and executed in the same 
manner, and their Quarters returned in like manner to the 
place w r hence they came [Newgate] . 

" The Head of Mr Cook is since set on a Pole on the 
North-East end of Westminster Hall (on the left of Mr 
Harrisons) looking towards London, and the Head of Mr 

* It is much to be regretted that the above quotation cannot be placed as it per- 
fectly completes the account given by Ludlow and State Trials; but the latter 
says: " What Mr Peters said further at his execution, either in his speech or 
prayer it could not be taken, in regard his voice was low at that time and the 
people uncivil." Our informant was evidently better placed, and heard all, as 
the following lines from " State Trials " appear to be but imperfectly heard frag- 
ments which do not give, altogether, the name Impression as does the full and 
complete account. 

t State Trials, London, 1792, Vol. II, p. 413. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 65 

Peters on London Bridge. Their Quarters are exposed 
in like manner upon the tops of some of the City Gates."* 

It is singular that Peters was so severely treated when 
others, much more deeply concerned in the King's death, 
were dealt with so differently. 

" But the Body of Mr Hacker was by his Majesties just 
favour given eutire to his friends and buried. "f 

" Never," said the official newspaper, " was person 
suffered death so unpitied and (which is more) whose 
execution was the delight of the people."} 

His family was left in extreme poverty ; in July, 1677, 
John Knowles of London writes to Governor Leveret t 
requesting among other things that Mr Higgi neon's 
congregation provide in part for Mrs. Peters who has been 
supported by Mr Cockquaine and his church. 

The following appears to be the entry of the marriage 
of his daughter : 

" All Hallowes Church, London Wall, April 23, 1665 : 
Thomas Barker and Elizabeth Peters." 

"Ye 10 Apll, 1703, Sr. ... I am desired by Mrs 
Elizabeth Barker daughter to Mr Hugh Peters, to write 
you in her favour, in reference to a concerne to be 
transacted there in recoverie of her father's lands and 
estates. It hath beene so long delaied already, and if not 
speedily donne will be shorte of ye time of your country 
limitations. Have taken much pains in examining her 
papers and letters from thence, wch directed her to send 
over letter of atturney ; was wth her before ye Lord 
Mayor of these citty, when oathe was made of her being 
ye reputed daughter of Mr Peter. Some New England men 
were alsoe present to attest and witnesse it wth ye letter 
of atturney. . . She is a widow and in low circumstances. 
If you can bee servisible to her, it will bee a grate kindnesse 
and respect to memory of her lather soe well known in 
New England. "§ 

Winturop, in his reply, refers to an indebtedness of 
Peter's to his father of some five or six hundred pounds, 
and he professes himself unable to be of any assistance. 

* An Exact and most Impartial Accomptof the Indictment, Arraignment, Trial, 
and Judgment (according to Law) of nine and twenty Regicides, London, 1660. 

t Col. Hacker was one of the three officers charged with the execution of the 
King's sentence. 

J Dictionary of National Biography and Mercurius Publicus, Vol. II, p. 670. 

§ Letter from Samuel Reade to Wait Winthrop. Mass. Hist. Coll. 



8$ HUGH PETER : 

There is also a deposition from Elizabeth Barker in 
which she states that having omitted certain things in a 
previous petition " some persons there taking advantage 
thereof and of the absence and poverty of the said 
Elizabeth, have entered into the same property and are 
still in possession thereof, these derive noe title thereto, 
either from the crowne, or from said father or herself, but 
are ready to compound with her if they may be secure 
therein. The said Elizabeth being very poor having been 
a widow many yeares, and having had a constant charge 
upon her of eight children, three of which in the last war 
died in his Majesty's service and the rest being incapable 
to afford her a maintenance, and she being altogether 
helpless, her hard circumstances rendering her a tit and 
just object, of her Majesty's clemency, and therefore 
prayed her Royal letter to Colonel Dudley, Governor of 
Boston Colony, to pass a patent to her for the said lands 
formerly her father's." 

June 30, 1704. Elizabeth Barker of London, widow, 
only daughter and heiress of Hugh Peter, sometimes 
heretofore of Salem, X. E. deceased, Clerk, confirms to 
Robert Devereux of Marblehead, Tanner, the farm of 350 
acres now in his occupation.* 

In 1703-4, Samuel Sewall in a letter to John Thompson, 
of Jan. 18, writes: "The memory of Mr Peters is still 
set by in Salem." j- 

In his history of Salem, published in the Massachusetts 
Historical Collections, 1st series. Vol. vn, Rev. William 
Bent ley says of Hugh Peter : 

"No man ever possessed more sincerely the affections of 
his people. Mr Hugh Peters in his person was tall and thin. 
He was active and sprightly. In speech he was ready but 
his language was peculiar to himself. He had a power of 
associating his thoughts in such a manner, as to be sure to 
leave them upon the memory. If his images were coarse 
they were familiar, and never failed to answer his purpose 
Wherever he went, whatever he said, it was sure to be 
remembered. . . . Mr Peters was known to get the favour 
of the people by his simple manner of living, travelling 
on foot and freedom of conversation." 

* Now Eng. lii-i. and Gen. Register, Vol. xl, p.«>. 
f Mass. Hist. Coll.. 6th series. Vol. I. p. 288. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 87 

Thomas Burton says in his Diary : " Hugh Peters wan 
of Queen's* College where, is a picture of him in the 
gallery of the Master's Lodge which I saw there March 
21 (1671), he is in his own hair and in a black gown and 
rather a well-looking open countenanced man, the present 
Master Dr Plumptre told me that when he first came to 
the presidentship this inscription was on the picture : 
' Hugh Peters the seditious misleader,' but that he had 
struck it out so that now there is lately printed on it his 
name only, Hugh Peters ; by it is a picture of Oliver 
Cromwell of the same size with his name 'Oliver Cromwell,' 
thereon instead of the usurper Oliver Cromwell which Dr 
Plumptre had erased, the Master supposed the two original 
inscriptions secured them a place in his gallery at the 
restoration. "f 

The only portrait of Peter now known to exist is owned 
by C. E. Treffry, Esquire, and is in his dining room at 
Place, in Fowey, Cornwall, —his mother's home. 

List of the writings of Hugh Peter :$ 

1 Advice of that Worthy Commander Sir Edward 
Harwood upon occasion of the French King's Preparation ; 
also a Relation of his Life and Death, 4to, 1642. 

2 A True Relation of the passages of God's Providence 
in a voyage to Ireland. . . wherein every day's work is set 
down faithfully by H. P. an eye witness thereof, 4to, 1642. 

3 Preface to Richard Mather's Church Government 
and Church Covenant discussed, 4to, 1643. 

4 Mr. Peters' Report from the Armies, 26 July, 1645, 
with a list of the chiefest officers taken at Bridgewater, 
&c, 4to, 1645. 

5 Mr. Peters' Report from Bristol, 4to, 1645. 

6 The Full and Last Relation of all Things concerning 
Basing House, with divers other passages reported to Mr. 
Speaker and divers Members in the House. By Mr. Peter 
who came from Lieut. Gen. Cromwell, 4to, 1645. 

7 Master Peter's message from Sir Thomas Fairfax 
with the Narration of the taking of Dartmouth. 

* Error; he was of Trinity. 

t Burton's Diary (" by Mr Cole In his Mss. XXIV. 138 " says Burton) Vol. I. 
p. 244. (Carlyle asserts that there was no such person as Thomas Burton and 
that the Diary was written by Nathaniel Bar-on. 1 

t Dictionary of National Biography. 



88 HUGH PETER I 

8 Master Peter's message from Sir Thomas Fairfax 
with the whole state of the west and all the particulars 
about the disbanding of the Prince and Sir Ralph Hopton's 
Army, 4to, 1646. 

9 God's Doimrs and Man's Duty, a sermon preached 
April 2, 1646, 4to. 

10 Mr. Peters' Last Report of the English Wars, 
occasioned by the Importunity of a Friend pressing an 
answer to seven Queries, 4to, 1646. 

11 Several Propositions presented to the House of 
Commons by Mr. Peters concerning the Presbyterian 
Ministers of this Kingdom with the discovery of two great 
Plots against the Parliament of England, 4to, 1646. 

12 A Word for the Army and Two Words for the 
Kingdom, to clear the one and cure the other, forced in 
much Plainness and Brevity, from their faithful Servant, 
Hugh Peters, London, 1647. 

13 Good Work for a Good Magistrate, or a Short Cut 
to Great Quiet, by plain, honest, homely English hints 
given from Scripture, Reason and Experience for the 
regulating of most cases in this Commonwealth, by H. P., 
12mo, 1651. 

14 A Preface to "The Little Horn's Doom and 
Downfall " by Mary Cary, 12mo, 1651. 

15 Latin Verses on Henry Ireton, 1650. 

16 Dedication to Operum Gulielmi Amesii volumen 
primum. 12mo, Amsterdam, 1658. 

17 A Dying Father's Last Legacy to an Onely Child, 
or Mr Hugh Peters' Advice to his Daughter, written by 
his own Hand during his late Imprisonment in the Tower 
of London, And given her a little before his Death ; 
London, Printed for G. Calvert, and T. Brewster, and 
are sold at the Black-Spread Eagle, and at the Three 
Bibles, at the West-End of Pauls, 1660. 12mo. 

18 The Case of Mr Hugh Peters impartially 
Communicated to the View and Censure of the Whole 
World, written by his own Hand, 4to. 1660. 

19 A sermon by Hugh Peters preached before his 
death as it was taken by a faithful hand, and now published 
f->r public information, London, printed by John Best. 
4to. 1660. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 89 

Thirty-five of his letters are to be found in the Winthrop 
Papers in the Massachusetts Historical Collections,* and 
there is an autograph letter of his in the Massachusetts 
Archives, f which has been published in the Hutchinson 
Papers, page 59. 

His fun and wit shine in many of them ; take this one 
written to John Winthrop in 1636 : 

"A little newes I had out of a late letter come to hand 
out of England which you may tell the Governour from 
me to make him laugh. J At Bristow in one church 
whilst they were preaching a great Bull broke into the 
churchyard and a company of boyes followed him with 
squibs ; the people within were taken up before with 
thoughts that the papists that day would rise, and had 
warding all the Country over; the Bull and the squibs so 
wrought vpon their melancholy braynes, that one cryes 
out, if I perish, I'll perish hero, another swounds away, 
another they are come, they arc come." 

In another letter: " Mr Eaton very ill of the Skurvey. 
Aneelepy. . . . Bendall hath buryed his wife ; another 
eele Py." Two tragedies in two lines. 

Dedication of God's Doings and Man's Duty " to the 
Honourable, the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and the 
Common Counsell of this famous City of London. . . . 
That you are made wealthy for others, not yourselves 
alone, That you would not make Opinions your Interest 
which are changeable, but Godlinesse and Faithfulnesse, 
That you would rather punish known sins, shew mercy on 
the poor, a known duty, maintain Civil peace, look to 
your City-privileges rather then lose yourselves in doubtful 
questions." . . .§ From the sermon : 

"lam bold to say you have heard more of Christ within 
these last four years, then you have for forty before. . . . 
Truly I know nothing so heavie but love can lift, nothing 
so high but it can reach, nothing so deep but it can fathom. 
... It will be love to the Lord, if we love him in his 
dispensations when they have their viscissitudes ; to love 

* Peters' letters quoted In this article are nearly all from the Winthrop Papers, 
Mass. Hist. Coll. 

t Vol. 240, page 33. t Vane. 

§ The letter of Sir Thomas Fairfax, previously quoted, appears also here as a 
dedication. 



90 HUGH PETEK I 

him smiling, and love him frowning too: to love him. 
sitting upon his knee, and love him under his lash too. . 
. . Tell your little ones this night the story of 45, the 
towns taken, the fields fought, tell them of neer 30000 
prisoners taken this last year, 500 pieces of ordinance, tell 
them of the little losse on our side, be sure to let them 
know it was for the liberty of the English subjects you 
fought, charge them to preserve the liberties that cost 
you so dear, but especially the liberties purchased by the 
blood of Christ, and above all let them know that the God 
of heaven is the God of England, and hath done all, but 
his name, and his Sons name, who can tell us? I wish 
we knew God better, that we might love him more. . . . 

" Lastly, since feasts are seldome without beggars, give 
me leave to be the first : and if we had not been over-bold 
in detaining you already, I should have been large, even 
from my soule to beg help from this most Honourable 
Assembly in foure particulars: 1. I beg for Soules. 2. 
For Bodies. 3. Estates. 4. Names. 

" And for the first, I present you here the tears and cries 
of many thousands, in the countries we have conquered, 
who poor souls cry like prisoners at the Grate, Bread, 
bread, for the Lords sake bread: all you that passe by 
take Pitty, pitty of us, we have lived upon husks time out 
ofminde. . . . I need not tell this Assembly, that every 
where the greater party is the Orthodox, and the lesser 
the Hereticks. . . . Secondly, I have something to beg 
for the bodies of men : you have had strong cries from 
widowes and fatherlesse children, whose husbands and 
fathers have spent their heart-blood in this service ; you 
have many maimed men, which puts me in minde of an 
expedient for them, if improved: I mean that famous 
royall Foundation of the Charter-House, or Suttons 
Hospital, they say worth 5 or 6000 1. per annum. . . . 
The streets also are swarming with poor, which I refer to 
the Senators of this Citie, that is glorious many wa}^, 
why should it be so beggarly in the matter of beggars ? 
. . . Yet let not my request die. I have lived in a Country, 
where in seven years I never saw a beggar, nor heard an 
oath, nor lookt upon a drunkard. . . . 

"The third boon I beg is for mens estates . . . can 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 91 

there not yet be found a shorter way to further justice? 
must that badge of conquest still lye upon us, the Lawes 
I mean in French? Can there not an expedient be found 
out in plain English, whereby every one may soon come 
to his own ? May there not be two or three friend-makers 
set up in every Parish, without whose labour and leave 
none should implead another? There is one evill I have 
seen under the Snn, a poor man kept in prison for debt, 
whereby his spirit is debaucht, and he utterly disabled to 
pay : It is not so abroad. Fourthly and lastly ; I beg 
something for mens names."* 

" The only way I know to reach Gods mind in worship 
will be to love the truth for its owne sake, yea, to love it 
when it shall condemn our practices and persons also."f 

" I do conceive that the sword will not be sheathed, 
which is now drawn, till church work be better known. 
Presbytery and Independency are the ways of worship and 
church fellowship now looked at, since we hope Episcopacy 
is coffined out and will be buried without expectation of 
another resurrection. We need not tell the wise whence 
the Tyranny grew in Churches and how Commonwealths 
got their pressure in the like kind."f 

" Yea, though my share lies so much in them [slanderous 
pamphlets] that it would be costly to purchase clean 
handkerchiefs to wipe off every spattering on my face, 
and I could as shortly and more truly answer all as he did 
Bellarmine, with ' Thou lyest.' " 

"Quick justice makes quiet commonwealths." 

" Good men not good laws must save Kingdoms."! 

His "Good Work for a Good Magistrate," summed up 
his scheme of reform, proposing among other things, a 
register of land titles and wills, and. suggesting that when 
that was established the old records of the Tower, being 
useless monuments of tyranny, might be burned. He 
also proposed setting up a bank in London like that of 
Amsterdam, the establishment of public warehouses and 
docks, the institution of a better system for guarding 
against fires in London, and the adoption of the Dutch 
system of providing for the poor throughout the country. 

He further says that lawyers would find more real law 

* God's Doings and Men's Duty. 

t Preface to Church Government and Church Covenant. 

j A Word for the Army and two Words for the Kingdom 



M2 HUGH PETER '. 

and justice in the ten commandments than in their 
"obsolete precedents." 

" The waies and means; ordained of God, to bring anie 
nation to and preserve them in as happie a condition as 
the world can afford are by 

I True Religion maintained and advanced by the 
magistrate and walked in by the people; 

II True mercie towards the poor practiced and 
advanced both by Magistrate and People ; 

III True Justice and Righteousness amongst both 
Magistrate and People towards other Nations."* 

His "Last Legacy "is full of sense, religion, beauty, 
pathos and poetry and might be quoted from end to end 
with advantage. 

That he was highly esteemed by the best of his own 
time and profession is evident from the constant use 
Fairfax and Cromwell made of him, and from letters of 
such men as John Eliot, Winthrop, Davenport, etc. The 
latter pays him the following tribute in a letter dated 
July, 1637. 

"Deare and honoured in the Lord — to whom (for Christ 
and in Him) I owe not onely any service but my self also," 
etc. 

It is fitting to end with a characteristic quotation from 
the Dictionary of National Biography which, together 
with Gardiner's " Great Civil War," presents the only 
adequate or definite view of Peter's life or character that 
I have found in print : — 

"His arguments were rather those of social reformer 
than a divine. He regarded doctrinal differences as of 
slight importance, suggested that if the ministers of 
different views dined oftener together their mutual 
animosities would disappear, and that if the state would 
punish every one who spoke against either presbytery or 
independency, till they could define the terms aright, a 
lasting religious peace might be established." 

* Good Work for a Good Magistrate. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 93 

EXTRACTS FROM " THE LAST LEGACY." 

" And know this, That the necessity of a Christ (which 
the understanding discovers) will set the Will on work to 
all duty, and (the worth in Christ it makes manifest) will 
make the Will delight ; unless these two Faculties be thus 
wrought upon by Word and the Spirit, you will be at a 
constant loss, and all the miscarriages in Religion have 
the Ignorance of this for the Fountain. . . . For as I 
profess myself Orthodox in all Points of Religion ... so 
I have desired in nothing to be more Clear than in the 
Two Doctrines aforesaid ; . . . this hath been my 
Experience, That the Preaching of these Truths have been 
my greatest Advantage, and of much benefit to Others ; 
though in this I have enough to bewail also. 

" To this purpose, Hear the best Men, Keep the best 
Company, Read the best Books. . . . This one Book (the 
Bible) well read, will answer any Question, or Case, and 
you will finde Solomons Proverbs the best Politicks, and 
Christ crucified the best Divinity. . . . How few pray ! 
How many say words? Oh, how many say their Prayers 
backwards, call him Father, who is not their Father, 
would not have his Name hallowed, nor his Kingdom 
Come? . . . You cannot be so bad as he (God) is good. 
... It is hard to Watch, most are very Drowsie ; The 
Disciples themselves could not Watch one Hour. . . . 
The Lord is forced to keep us w r akingby Affliction, as the 
Thorn to the singing Bird. ... Do not grieve Conscience 
twice, it must be your best friend, yea when friends, and 
world, and all shall leave you to solitariness. If it whimper 
a little, do not make it roar out ; and yet do not stille it, 
but attend it, and carry it up to Mount Calvary for peace. 
Remember, good Conscience and Sin cannot live together ; 
Let but this Bird sing sweetly within, and let Heaven 
and Earth come together, thou shalt be safe (my poor 
child). 

" The Kingdom of Heaven must suffer Violence ; Violent 
Faith, Love, Prayer, Must storm it. . . you may easier 
make bares to the Sea, and order the Influences of Heaven 
than call back yesterday. . . . 

" This Herb [Content] grows in very few gardens, But 
Oh that you might be truly content ! You will find a But 



94 HUGH PETER : 

upon all your Comforts ; and therefore you cannot be 
contented. . . . 

" Riches have Eagles wings, and Beauty but skin deep ; 
Honour in another's keeping; Friends and all, are but 
waking dreams. . . . 

M I commend unto you meekness of spirit ; be loving to 
all ; envy none. You know what a Promise the Meek 
have, . . Meekness carries many good things with it, as 
Love, Piety, Patience, etc. . . . Meekness will make 
smooth all your wayes, disappoint Enemies of the 
advantage they may take against you ; And your love will 
not only cover many sins, but help many out of them. . . . 

" Oh ! how can we lift wrathful hands to Heaven. They 
say Anger is the Boyling of the Blood about the Heart ; I 
am sure it cools the Heart in Spirituals ; God took this 
to himself when he discovered his Name to Moses ; a 
pitiful, pardoning, long suffering God. . . .* The Lord 
make you Meek from the true Root (my dear Child). . . . 

"Thoughts are not free, nor words wind, they will judge 
us one day. . . . 

n Read and know, That Whilest you look too much 
into others Gardens, you will neglect your own. . . . 

"If your Fancy be not well-fed, your Thoughts (like 
Millstones) will griude themselves. Spirits rais'd and not 
imploy'd, will torment the Witch that rais'd them. . . . 
Be content to be a Shrub, Cedars will shake ; and never 
desire to be near Greatness, Honour often dies grinning 
and ghastly, our business must be our own, as well as our 
crosse. To meddle with other mens work will be thankless, 
as to take other mens Physick will be useless, if not 
dangerous. . . . The Busie-body is but a Pedlar to carry 
up and down, and vend the Devils Wares. How few lose 
anything by quietness, and doing their own work? . . . 
David got his great wound upon this neglect, and Peter 
his, by warming his hands when he should have been 
breaking his heart in secret. 

" Oh keep home, keep home ; I speak experience to you, 
who never found good hour but in mine own work. . . . 
Be always ready to say, I am where the Lord would have 
me to be. . . Sew up your mouth, but let it be with Honestie ; 

* The italics are the compiler's; remarkable words for those days! 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 95 

not Polieie. As you never hurt yourself by speaking 
little, t,o will you never gain anything by telling a Lie. 

" Much of Wit must be pared off before it will be useful. 

" You shall never have comfort in suffering for Folly. 

" There are two very good Turns in Mans Life ; the one 
is a lawful Calling ; the other is marriage : and miscarriages 
in either are almost irrecoverable. . . . This Conjugateness 
(like a yoke) must still be lined with more Love to make 
the draught easie. . . . 

"They [husband and wife] need to pray out, not quarrel 
out their first bubblings ; They need at first to dwell much 
in their own duties, before they step into each others. . . . 

"Many dying men speak much about the Vanity of the 
World. But truly, as I would not die in a pet, so I would 
not quarrel with or leave the World, because I could be 
no greater in it, but because I not do, nor be better in it 
and that God is pleased I should leave it for a better. 

"And whilst I am in the World, and advising about it, 
there is a great Karitie in the World, if you could reach 
it, and that is a Friend, which is a Commoditie so very 
scarce, that it will be your wisdom to look upon a Friend 
this day, as likely to be an Enemy to-morrow. . . . Fair 
Dove-coats have most pigeons ; Lost Estates have no 
Friends. 

"A Friend must have three qualifications ; he must have 
the art and skill of a Friend, few know it ; must have the 
bowels and mercie of a Friend, which most want ; and 
lastly must have Faithfulness, the great ingredient. . . . 

" Though it be not safe to dig at Foundations often, lest 
we shake the Building ; so our great care is to have sound 
Foundations to build upon. . . . 

" Be willing to want what God is not willing to give. . . . 

" \\ hoe ver fears to sin, never sins by fear. . . . 

" In the night the waking Child in the cradle is quiet at 
the Nurses coming to it, because there is more of comfort 
in the Nurse than fear in the Dark. . . . And then be 
perswaded to set a right value on all earthty, perishing, 
dying things; do not call a Pebble a Pearl. . . . 

" For a little needle will draw a long tail of Thread 
after it. , . . 

"My Child, to believe things incredible, to hope things 
delayed, and to love God when he seems angry, Are 
Luthers wonders and mine, and thine. 

"A well led life is the best Monument. " 



96 HUGH PETER : 

"MY WISHES. 

I Wish your Lamp aud Vessel full of Oyl, 

Like the Wise Virgins (Which all Fools neglect) 

And the Rich Pearl, for which the Merchants toyl. 

Yen, bow to purchase are so circumspect: 

1 wisli you that White Stone with the New Name, 

Which none can reade but who possess the same. 

I wish you neither Poverty, nor Riches, 
But Gddlinesse, so gainful, with Content, 
No painted Pomp, nor Glory that bewitches : 
A blamelesse life is the best Monument : 
And such a Soul that soars above the Side, 
Well pleas'd to live, but better pleas'd to die. 

I wish you such a Heart as Mary had, 
Minding the main, open'd as Lydea's was; 
A Hand like Dorcas, who the Naked clad; 
Feet like Joanna's passing to Christ apace. 
And above all, to live your selfe to see 
Marry ed to Him, who must your Saviour be." 

" Whoever would live long and Blessedly, let hiin observe 
these Following Rules, by which he shall attain to that 
which he desireth" 

Thoughts Divine, Awful, Godly 

Talk Little, Honest, True* 

Works Profitable, Holy, Charitable 

Manners Grave, Courteous, Cheerful 

Dyet Temperate, Convenient, Frugal 
" Let thy Apparil Be Sober, Neat, Comely, 

Will Comfiant, Obedient, Ready 

Sleep Moderate, quiet, Seasonable 

Prayers Short, Devout, Often, Fervent 

Recreation Lawful, Brief, Seldom 

Memory Of Death, Punishment, Glory" 

These fragments of a useful and active life can be no 
more fittingly ended than by quoting the preface to the 
Last Legacy written by another hand. 

" To the Impartial Reader. Be not Discouraged from 
reading this small Treatise, because of the unhappy End 
of a Wearisome pilgrimage, which the Author met with 
in this world ; If we get a fall in a journey, or meet with 
a great showre of rain so it be in the close of the day 
when we are near our Inn, where we meet with 
accomodation and refreshment, we are the less troubl'd ; 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 97 

Yet such was his case (who for many years whs very 
Instrumental in the Church of God, and a means of 
bringing many Souls to Christ ; and for the Good of 
others came into tins Kingdom when it was in a flame of 
Civil War, which hath signd* him also, that he might- 
escape everlasting flames) in this Discourse he bewails the 
vanity of his own Spirit ; and we will not Excuse him ; 
he finds himself too busie in Aliena Republica and we will 
not Justine him ; But if that precious Gold should be cast 
away because there is some Dross, or the Children of God 
cast out of the Family for every fault though heinous, 
we .should condemn the Generation of the just: You will 
find in the Legacy to his only Child that he had a Root of 
Grace, and that the Fountain was clear from which ran so 
savoury a stream, And that at the last when he had no 
hope to save a frail Body, yet he minded his own and 
others Souls, And that he was a Master Workman in that 
Mysterie, wherein he had laboured successfully so many 
years, And we hope that notwithstanding the prejudicacie 
of some against him and the words of others, and his sad 
shameface Catastrophy, we may charitably judge that God 
hath wiped all Tears from his Eyes, that he is entered 
into Rest, his Works following him ; and that he is made 
perfect by his great Suffering ; And with the same to you, 
except these Bonds. G. F. N. B. 

* Singed. 



98 HUGH PETER \ 

LIST OF WORKS CONSULTED. 

Anglia Rediviva. England's Recovery. The History of the Motions, 
Actions and Successes of the Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax, by 
Joshua Sprigge, MA. London, 1047. 

Annals of Salem by J. 1). Felt, 2 vols. Salem, 1845. 

A Dying Father's Last Legacy to an Onely Child, or Mr. Hugh Peters 
Advice to his Daughter, written by his own Hand, during his late 
Imprisonment in the Tower of London: And given her a little 
before his Death. London, Printed for G. Calvert and T. Brewster, 
and are to be sold at the Black-spread Eagle, and at the Three 
Bibles, at the West-End of Pauls, 1660. 

Bibliotheca Cornubiensis, a Catalogue of the writings, both Manuscript 
and Printed, of Cornishmen and of works relating to the county 
of Cornwall, by George Clement Boase, and William Prideaux 
Courtney. London, 1882. 

Chronological Observations of America, by John Josselyn, Gent. 
(Massachusetts Historical Collections, 3d series, Vol. 3, page 355). 
London, 1674. 

Complete Collection of State Trials, from the earliest period. William 
Cobbett. London, 1792. 

A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq., Secretary, first 
to the Council of State, and afterwards to the Two Protectors, 
Oliver and Richard Cromwell ; 7 vols. London, 1742. 

Chronicles of the First Planters of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. by 
Alexander Young. Boston, 1846. 

Collections of Scarce and Valuable Tracts of the late Lord Somers. 
London, 1812. 

The Case of Mr. Hugh Peters, Impartially Communicated to the View 
and Censure of the Whole World : Written by his own hand. 
London [1660]. 

Oliver Cromwell's Speeches and Letters; by Thomas Carlyle; 4 vols. 
New York, 1897. 

Preface to Church Government and Church Covenant, by Hugh 
Peters. London, 1643. (The article itself is by Richard Mather.) 

Dictionary of National Biography, edited by Sidney Lee. New York. 
1896. 

The Diary and Memoirs of John Evelyn, Esq., E.R.S. /edited bv William 
•hay, Esq. London and New York. (Preface of 1815 edition.) 

Diary of Thomas Burton, Member in the Parliaments of Oliver and 
Richard Cromwell from 1656-1659, now first published from the 
Original Autograph Manuscript with an Introduction containing 
an Account of the Parliament of 1654, from the Journal of Guibon 
Goddard, Esq., F. R.S.; also now first printed. Edited and 
Illustrated with Notes Historical and Biographical by John Towill 
t; 4 vols. London, 1818. 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 99 

The Ecclesiastical History of New England, comprising not only 
religious but also moral, and other relations, by Joseph B. Felt; 
2 vols. Boston, 1855. 

God's Doings and Man's Duty, Opened in a Sermon preached before 
both Houses of Parliament, the Lord Mayor aud Aldermen of the 
City of London, and the Assembly of Divines; at the last 
Thanksgiving Day, April 2. For the recovering of the West, and 
disbanding 5000 of the King's Horse, &c. By Hugh Peters, 
Preacher of the Gospel. London, 1646. 

History of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay from the flrst Settlement 
thereof in 1628 until its Incorporation with the Colony of Plimouth 
Province of Main, &c, by Mr. Hutchinson. London, 1765. 

Historical and Critical Account of Hugh Peter after the manner of Mr. 
Bayle (by Dr. William Harris), published anonymously. London, 
1751. 

The. History of Massachusetts, by John Stetson Barry; 3 vols. Boston, 
1855. 

The History of the Rebellion and Civil War in England, together with 
an Historical View of the Affairs of Ireland, by Edward, Earl of 
Clarendon; 7 vols. Loudon, 184!). 

History of New England from 1630 to 1649, by John Winthrop, Esq., 
flrst Governor of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, from his 
original Manuscripts with notes by James Savage; 2 vols. Boston, 
1826. (Also called Winthrop's Journal.) 

History of the Great Civil War, 1642-1649, by Samuel llawson 
Gardiner, M.A., LL.D.; 3 vols. Loudon, 1886. 

Historical Collections of Private Passages of State, Weighty Matters 
in Law, Remarkable Proceedings in Five Parliaments, beginning 
the Sixteenth Year of King James, Anno 1618. Digested in order 
of Time and now published by John Rush worth of Liucolns Inn, 
Esq. London, 1659. 

The Harleian Miscellany ; 10 vols. London, 1810. 

Life of Roger Williams, by John Knowles. 

Massachusetts Historical Society, Historical Collections. 

Memoir of Hugh Peters, by Joseph B. Felt (New England Historical 
and Genealogical Register, Vol. v). Boston, 1851. 

Memorials of the Civil War, comprising the Correspondence of the 
Fairfax family with the most distinguished personages engaged 
in that memorable contest, now flrst published from the original 
Manuscripts; edited by Robert Bell; 2 vols. London, 1849. 

Memoirs of Edmund Ludloio, with a Collection of Original Papers, and 
the Case of King Charles the First. London, 1771. 

Memorials of the English affairs ; or an Historical account of what 
passed from the Beginning of the Reign of King Charles the First, 
to King Charles the Second, His Happy Restauration, containing 
BIST. COLL. VOL. XXXVIII 10 



100 HUGH PETER : 

the Publick Transactions. Civil and Military together with The 
Private Consultations and Secrets of the Cabinet. By Mr 
Whitelock. London. 173L'. 

Memoirs of Samuel Pepys Esq., F.R.S., comprising his Diary from 
1651) to 1669 and Selections from his Private Correspondence; 
edited by Richard Lord Braybrooke. London, 1825. 

Magnolia Christi Americana, or the Ecclesiastical History of New 
England from its first planting in the year 1620 into the year of 
our Lord 1698; in 7 books by Cotton Mather, Pastor of the North 
Church in Boston, New England. London, 1702. 

The Publications of the Harleian Society, established I86!t. London. 

Plain Dealing, or Newes from New England, by Thomas Lechford, 
Clement's Inne, January 17, 1641 (Massachusetts Historical 
Collections, 3d series, Vol. 3, page 54). London. 1G42. 

Peters' Pattern, or The Perfect Path to Worldly Happiness. As it was 
delivered in a Funeral Sermon preached at the internment of Mr. 
Peters lately deceased. London, Printed in the Year 1(559 (a 
burlesque). 

Tin Parochial History of Cornwall, by Davies Gilbert, 1838. 

Roger Williams, the pioneer of religious liberty, by Oscar S. Straus. 
New York, 1S94. 

Left. Lion Gardener, Relation of the Pequot Warres (Massachusetts 
Historical Collections, 3d series, Vol. 3. page 131). 

Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New 
England, printed by order of the Legislature edited by Nathaniel 
Shurtleff; 5 vols. Boston, 1854. 

The Tryall and Condemnation of Mr. John Cooke, Sollicitor to the late 
High court of Injustice, and Mr Hugh Peters, that carnal! Prophet. 
For their severall High-treasons, &c. At the Sessions-house in 
the Old-baily, on Saturday the 13. of October, 1660. Together 
with, Their severall Pleas and the Answers thereunto. London, 
Printed for John Stafford and Edward Thomas, 1660. 

The Tales and Jests of Mr Hugh Peters, completed into one volume. 
Published by one that hath formerly been conversant with the 
Author in his Lifetime, and Dedicated to Mr John Goodwin and 
Mr Philip Nye. Together with his Sentence and the Manner of 
his Execution : To which is prelixed a Short Account of his Life. 
London, 1660. Reprinted, London, 1807. 

This reprint contaius the well-known frontispiece of Peter in 
the pulpit with three scrolls issuing from his mouth and bearing 
the words: Blasphemy, Rebellion, Heresie; also an hour-glass 
in his hand. A side beam of light (or so it seems) is inscribed : 
" I know you are all good fellows, stay and take the other glass." 

A Word for the Army and two Words for the Kingdom. To clear the 
one and cure the other. Forced in much Plainness and Brevity 



PREACHER, PATRIOT, PHILANTHROPIST. 101 

from their faithful Servant Hvigh Peters. Lcmdou, 1647 (Harleian 
Miscellany; Vol. v, page 607). 

Wonder-Working Providence ofZion's Saviour, Being a Relation of the 
first Planting on New England, in the year 1628 (Massachusetts 
Historical Collections, 2d series, Vol. 3, page 123). 

An Exact and most Impartial Accompt oj the Indictment, Arraignment, 
Trial, and Judgment (according to Law) of nine and twenty 
Regicides, the Murtherers Of His Late Sacred Majesty Of Most 
Glorious Memory : Began at Hicks-Hall on Tuesday, the 9th of 
October, 1660. And Continued at the Sessions House in the Old- 
Bayley until Friday, the nineteenth of the same Moneth. Together 
with a Summary of the Dark and Horrid Decrees of those 
Caballists Preparatory to that Hellish Fact. Exposed to view 
for the Reader's Satisfaction, and Information of Posterity. 
Imprimatur; John Berkenhead : London, Printed for Andrew 
Crook at the Green Dragon in St Paul's Church -yard, and Edward 
Bonsel at the White-Swan in Little-Britain, 1660. 



